Examination of the Characteristics and Relevant Physical Factors Associated with Persistent Falls in...

This exploratory cohort study aimed to identify the physical factors associated with persistent falls, defined as falls occurring over two consecutive years, in the older population.

We conducted a 1-year prospective cohort of community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years who were living independently at enrolment. Baseline assessments included gait speed, handgrip strength, and muscle-specific strength (MSS). The participants were classified as persistent falls if they reported ≥1 fall in both periods.

Persistent fallers exhibited significantly decreased gait speed (0.88 [0.59-1.10] m/s vs. 1.15 [1.00-1.27]; p = 0.006, r = 0.337), handgrip strength (19.9 [17.0-27.8] kg vs. 25.0 [21.5-30.0] kg; p = 0.041, r = 0.253), and MSS (64.6 [58.2-69.2] % vs. 73.0 [66.6-79.2] %; p = 0.008, r = 0.327) compared to non-persistent fallers. Slower gait speed was most strongly associated with persistent falls (OR = 0.01, p=0.035), while handgrip strength (OR = 0.84, p = 0.096) and MSS (OR = 0.91, p = 0.066) were only mildly associated.

These exploratory findings suggest slow gait speed exhibited a significant association and MSS and handgrip strength exhibited potential associations with persistent falls in community-dwelling older adults.