Investigating the relationship between spatiotemporal gait variability and falls self-efficacy in individuals with...

To investigate the relationship between spatiotemporal gait variability and falls self-efficacy after chronic stroke while taking into account the effect of some known potential confounders including fall numbers and gait velocity.

Participants (n = 62) walked at their preferred speed to calculate gait variability for stride time, stride length, swing time, and double-support percent. The Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) assessed falls self-efficacy. The linear regression tests were used for statistical analysis. Age, sex, time since stroke, paretic side, motor impairments, fall numbers, and gait velocity were considered as independent variables.

Increased FES-I score was related to higher stride time variability (R² = 0.65, F(8,53) = 15.44, P < .05). Increased FES-I was associated with higher stride length variability (R² = 0.42, F(6,55) = 8.44, P < .05). However, further adjustment on gait velocity and fall numbers made the association non-significant (R² = 0.41, F(8,53) = 6.4, P > .05). No significant relationship was identified between FES-I and swing time (R² = 0.08, F(8,53) = 0.39, P > .05) and FES-I and double-support percent variability (R² = 0.04, F(8,53) = 0.67, P > .05).

The results indicate that increased FES-I score may be related to increased stride variability post stroke.