Article

The aim of this study was to explore whether FoF was associated with variability
in both leg and trunk movements during gait in community-dwelling elderly.
Ninety-three elderly people participated in this study. Each participant was
categorized into either Fear or No-Fear group on the basis of having FoF. The
participants walked 15m at their preferred speed. The wireless motion recording
sensor units were attached to L3 spinous process and right posterior surface of
heel during gait. Gait velocity, stride time and stride length were calculated.
Variability in lower limb movements was represented by coefficient of variation
(CV) of stride time. Trunk variability was represented by autocorrelation
coefficients (AC) in three directions (vertical: VT, mediolateral: ML and
anteroposterior: AP), respectively. Gait parameters were compared between groups,
and further analyses were performed using generalized linear regression models
after adjustment of age, sex, fall experience, height, weight, and gait velocity.
Although gait velocity, mean stride time and stride length did not differ
significantly between groups, stride time CV and all ACs were significantly worse
in the Fear group after adjustment for variables, even including gait velocity
(stride time CV: p=0.003, beta=-0.793; AC-VT: p=0.011, beta=0.053; AC-ML:
p=0.044, beta=0.075; AC-AP: p=0.002, beta=0.078). Our results suggest that fear
of falling is associated with variability in both leg and trunk movements during
gait in community-dwelling elderly. Further studies are needed to prove a causal
relationship.
CI - Copyright (c) 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Langue : ANGLAIS