Article

Many falls occur from backward perturbations or during transitional movements
that require a person to turn and step backwards, suggesting that deficits in
backward stepping may negatively impact mobility. Previous studies found
significant declines in backward walking (BW) spatiotemporal measures in healthy
elderly compared to young adults. No studies to date have examined BW performance
in middle-aged adults and in elderly with impaired mobility. This study compared
spatiotemporal measures of BW and forward walking (FW) in young, middle-aged, and
elderly and in elderly fallers and non-fallers; and compared the strength of the
relationship between age and BW and FW spatiotemporal measures to determine the
utility of BW performance as a clinical tool for examining safety and mobility.
BW measures were significantly more impaired in the elderly (n=62) compared to
young (n=37) and middle-aged (n=31) adults and age effects were greater in BW
than FW. No significant differences were found between young and middle-aged
except for base of support in BW. Stronger correlations were found between age
and BW measures than between age and FW measures, particularly correlations
between age and BW velocity and stride length. Elderly fallers had greater
deficits in BW performance than non-fallers. All elderly fallers had BW
velocities<.6m/s. Clinicians are encouraged to assess BW, particularly BW
velocity, as part of mobility examinations.
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- Equilibre - Chutes

Langue : ANGLAIS