Vestibular asymmetry increases double support time variability in a counter-balanced study on elderly fallers

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neurology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Vestibular asymmetry is a common cause of dizziness and fall risk in the elderly.
• Previous research indicates altered gait variability in individuals with vestibular asymmetry, but findings on swing time (SwT) are conflicting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal connection between vestibular asymmetry and increased double support time (DST) variability in elderly fallers.
• To evaluate the impact of vestibular asymmetry on both DST and SwT variability.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study of eight elderly fallers over three months.
• Assessment of DST and SwT variability during periods of vestibular asymmetry and symmetry.
• Statistical analysis comparing variability metrics between conditions.

Main Results:

• DST variability was significantly higher by 2.38%CV in participants with vestibular asymmetry compared to when they had symmetry (p=0.01).
• SwT variability showed a non-significant difference of 0.44%CV between conditions (p=0.39).

Conclusions:

• Increased DST variability may represent a compensatory re-stabilization strategy in elderly individuals with vestibular asymmetry.
• Further research is recommended to explore the correlation between DST variability and the duration of vestibular asymmetry.