Article

OBJECTIVE: To develop a new Multiple-Lunge Test to distinguish between fallers
and nonfallers in community-dwelling older adults. DESIGN: A cross-sectional
design was used to establish the sensitivity and specificity of the test to
predict faller status based on retrospective self-reported fall history. SETTING:
Local retirement villages. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling older adults (N=130;
mean age +/- SD, 77+/-7y) with (n=40) and without (n=90) a history of falls.
INTERVENTIONS: The Multiple-Lunge Test required individuals to lunge forward to a
step length determined as 60% of their leg length, and return to start, for 5
consecutive repetitions. Interday and intraday test-retest reliability of the
Multiple-Lunge Test was established across 2 testing occasions. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURES: Number of steps performed correctly, total time to complete 5 steps.
RESULTS: The Multiple-Lunge Test was found to be reliable across trials
(Intraday: intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]=.79-.81 for steps,
ICC=.86-.88 for time; Interday: ICC=.77 for steps; ICC=.84 for time). Sensitivity
and specificity values were calculated as 73% and 63%, respectively, for
predicting multiple fallers using the measure of all 5 steps done correctly.
CONCLUSIONS: The test is easily administered and because of its challenging
nature, it may be well suited to detect subtle differences in abilities of higher
functioning, community-dwelling older adults. A practitioner can be confident in
7 of 10 cases that an older adult who cannot complete all 5 steps of the
Multiple-Lunge Test is at high risk of falls. The results suggest that there is
potential for the Multiple-Lunge Test to be used in clinical practice; however,
additional research on how to further increase its validity appears warranted.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS