Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 4, 2025
Video Movement Analysis Using Smartphones ViMAS: A Pilot Study
Published on: March 14, 2017
Gait and falls in cerebral small vessel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Breni Sharma1,2,3, Meng Wang3,4,5, Cheryl R McCreary2,3,6
1Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Insights
Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is linked to poorer gait and increased fall risk. Managing CSVD may help improve mobility and prevent falls in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Geriatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Gait impairment is a significant contributor to falls and frailty in aging populations.
- Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is increasingly recognized as a potential factor influencing gait and fall risk.
Conclusions:
- CSVD severity is demonstrably associated with gait impairment and an increased risk of both past and future falls.
- Public health strategies aimed at preventing CSVD are crucial for enhancing mobility and reducing fall-related injuries in later life.
Background:
Gait impairment contributes to falls and frailty. Some studies suggest that cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is associated with gait impairment in the general population. We systematically reviewed and meta-analysed the literature on associations of CSVD with gait impairment and falls.
Methods:
The protocol was published in PROSPERO (CRD42021246009). Searches of Medline, Cochrane and Embase databases were conducted on 30 March 2022. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of community-dwelling adults were included, reporting relationships between diagnosis or neuroimaging markers of CSVD and outcomes related to gait or falls. Partial correlation coefficients were calculated and pooled using a random-effects model for meta-analysis.
Results:
The search retrieved 73 studies (53 cross-sectional; 20 longitudinal). Most studies reported an association between CSVD and gait impairments or falls risk: 7/7 studies on CSVD score or diagnosis, 53/67 studies on white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), 11/21 studies on lacunar infarcts, 6/15 studies on cerebral microbleeds and 1/5 studies on perivascular spaces. Meta-analysis of 13 studies found that higher WMH volume was mildly correlated with lower gait speed, in all studies (r = -0.23, 95% confidence interval: -0.33 to -0.14, P < 0.0001). However, there was significant heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 82.95%; tau2 = 0.02; Q = 79.37, P < 0.0001), which was unexplained by variation in age, sex, study quality or if the study adjusted for age.
Conclusions:
Findings suggest that CSVD severity is associated with gait impairment, history of falls and risk of future falls. Prevention of CSVD should be part of a comprehensive public health strategy to improve mobility and reduce risk of falls in later life.
