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Increased gait unsteadiness in community-dwelling elderly fallers
J M Hausdorff1, H K Edelberg, S L Mitchell
1Gerontology Division, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|March 1, 1997
Summary
Elderly fallers exhibit significantly increased gait unsteadiness compared to non-fallers and young adults. Quantitative gait variability measures can help assess fall risk in older individuals.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Biomechanics
- Gait Analysis
Background:
- Falls are a significant concern in community-dwelling elderly individuals.
- Gait unsteadiness is a known risk factor for falls.
- Objective measures of gait variability may provide insights into fall risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if quantitative measures of gait unsteadiness are elevated in elderly individuals who have experienced falls.
- To compare gait variability between elderly fallers, elderly non-fallers, and young healthy adults.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective, case-control study was conducted with community-dwelling elderly participants.
- Participants included 18 elderly fallers (mean age 82.2 yrs), 17 elderly non-fallers (mean age 76.5 yrs), and 22 young healthy adults (mean age 24.6 yrs).
- Stride-to-stride variability of temporal gait parameters (stride time, stance time, swing time) was measured during a 6-minute walk.
Main Results:
- Elderly fallers demonstrated significantly greater gait variability compared to both elderly non-fallers and young subjects (p < .0002).
- Walking speed was comparable between elderly fallers and non-fallers.
- Gait variability in elderly non-fallers was similar to that of young subjects.
Conclusions:
- Stride-to-stride gait variations are substantially increased in elderly fallers but not in non-fallers.
- Quantitative gait unsteadiness measurement holds potential for assessing fall risk in the elderly population.