Interdisciplinary expert agreement on group and definitions for compensatory protective step strategies to prevent...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Biomechanics
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Falls are common in older adults, leading to reduced mobility and quality of life.
• Protective gait strategies are used to prevent falls, but lack standardized definitions.
• Inconsistent terminology hinders research and clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To unify definitions of compensatory protective step strategies.
• To establish standardized terminology for fall prevention research.

Main Methods:

• Adapted the Conducting and Reporting of Delphi Studies (CREDES) guidelines.
• Conducted a literature review, quantitative/qualitative assessments, and an e-Delphi study with 14 experts.
• Assessed content validity using Aiken's V coefficient.

Main Results:

• Achieved high validity (V ≥ 0.68) for all definitions.
• Reduced 61 definitions to 14 standardized ones.
• Developed precise definitions for 14 compensatory protective step strategies.

Conclusions:

• Established a unified set of definitions for protective gait strategies.
• Standardized terminology will facilitate research and clinical practice in fall prevention.
• The findings support improved understanding and management of fall risk in older adults.