The relationship between foot function balance and fear of falling in the elderly: a pilot study.

2019 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 584
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 420-425
Author(s):  
Hamed Mortazavi ◽  
Mahbubeh Tabatabaeichehr ◽  
Masoumeh Taherpour ◽  
Mohadece Masoumi

Objective : Doingactivities of daily living can bring independence for the elderly. It can also maintain their health and social participation. However, experience of falls and fear of falling can affect the health and personal social life of the elderly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between falls and fear of falling with activities of daily living in older adults. Materials and methods : Four hundred and fifty elderly persons were enrolled in this cross-sectional study using cluster sampling. Demographic variables, Fall Efficacy Scale- International (FES-I) and questionnaires related to the study of activities of daily living were employed. To investigate advanced activities of daily living, open-ended questions were used. The history of falls within the last 12 months was investigated. Results : Mean score of basic activities of daily living in the elderly being studied was 15.49±1.74, and 95.4% of them were independent in doing these activities.Mean score of instrumental activities of daily living was 11.30±3.36, and 71.5% of them were independent in doing these activities. Participation of elderly persons in social activities was reported to be 77.9%. There was a significant relationship between activities of daily living (basic, instrumental, and advanced) and falls and fear of falling (p<0.05). Conclusion : Falls and fear of falling reduce the independence of elderly persons in doing activities of daily living. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.20(2) 2021 p.420-425


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-124
Author(s):  
Hanan Khalil ◽  
Nesreen Alissa ◽  
Alham Al-Sharman ◽  
Islam E’leimat ◽  
Majdi  Al Qawasmeh ◽  
...  

Objective: Pain and fatigue are highly prevalent debilitating symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD), however, their relationship with physical performance, fear of falling (FOF) and falls is not clear. We aim in this pilot study to investigate the relationship of pain and fatigue with physical performance, FOF and falls in people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD). Materials & methods: 53 PD patients were assessed for fall history, physical performance, FOF, pain and fatigue. Results: Pain and fatigue are significantly associated with physical performance and FOF (p ≤ 0.002). Pain and fatigue were different between fallers and non-fallers (p < 0.5), but only fatigue could distinguish fallers from non-fallers (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve = 0.81; p < 0.0001). Conclusion: This pilot study indicated that FOF in PwPD is significantly associated with pain and fatigue. Furthermore, fatigue level is related to fall history. By addressing pain and fatigue, we may ameliorate the deterioration of FOF and falls in PwPD.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Blomqvist ◽  
Stefen Seipel ◽  
Maria Engström

Abstract BackgroundImpaired balance leading to falls is common in the elderly, and there is strong evidence that balance training reduces falls and increases independence. Reduced resources in health care will result in fewer people getting help with rehabilitation training. In this regard, the new technology augmented reality (AR) could be helpful. With AR, the elderly can receive help with instructions and get feedback on their progression in balance training. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of using AR-based visual-interactive tools in balance training of the elderly.MethodsSeven elderly participants (66-88 years old) with impaired balance trained under supervision of a physiotherapist twice a week for six weeks using AR-based visual-interactive guidance, which was facilitated through a Microsoft HoloLens holographic display. Afterwards, participants and physiotherapists were interviewed about the new technology and their experience of the training. Also, fear of falling and balance ability were measured before and after training. ResultsFive participants experienced the new technology as positive in terms of increased motivation and feedback. Experiences were mixed regarding the physical and technical aspects of the HoloLens and the design of the HoloLens application. Participants also described issues that needed to be further improved, for example, the training program was difficult and monotonous. Further, the HoloLens hardware was felt to be heavy, the application's menu was difficult to control with different hand manoeuvres, and the calibration took a long time. Suggestions for improvements were described. Results of the balance tests and self-assessment instruments indicated no improvements in balance performance after AR training.ConclusionsThe study showed that training with the new technology is, to some extent, feasible for the elderly, but needs further development. Also, the technology seemed to stimulate increased motivation, which is a prerequisite for adherence to training. However, the new technology and training requires further development and testing in a larger context.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Putu Martha ◽  
Raditya Kurniawan Djoar

Objective:  To analyze the relationship of previous fall experiences with the incident of fear of falling in the elderly living in Panti Werdha Surabaya.Methods:  This research design is analytic observational with cross sectional approach.Results:  Involving 155 elderly living in Panti Werdha Surabaya. Sampling technique using proportional random sampling method. Existing data were analyzed using  Contingency Coefficient Test with significant level of 0.05. The statistical test results obtained results have a previous experience relationship fall with the fear of falling with a correlation value of 0.374 with a significant level of 0.000 (p <0.05)Conclusion:  previous fall experiences have a very meaningful relationship with the fear of falling elderly at Panti Werdha Surabaya.Keywords:  history of falls, fear of falling


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Blomqvist ◽  
Stefen Seipel ◽  
Maria Engström

Abstract Background: Impaired balance leading to falls is common in the elderly, and there is strong evidence that balance training reduces falls and increases independence. Reduced resources in health care will result in fewer people getting help with rehabilitation training. In this regard, the new technology augmented reality (AR) could be helpful. With AR, the elderly can receive help with instructions and get feedback on their progression in balance training. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of using AR-based visual-interactive tools in balance training of the elderly. Methods: Seven elderly participants (66-88 years old) with impaired balance trained under supervision of a physiotherapist twice a week for six weeks using AR-based visual-interactive guidance, which was facilitated through a Microsoft HoloLens holographic display. Afterwards, participants and physiotherapists were interviewed about the new technology and their experience of the training. Also, fear of falling and balance ability were measured before and after training. Results: Five participants experienced the new technology as positive in terms of increased motivation and feedback. Experiences were mixed regarding the physical and technical aspects of the HoloLens and the design of the HoloLens application. Participants also described issues that needed to be further improved, for example, the training program was difficult and monotonous. Further, the HoloLens hardware was felt to be heavy, the application's menu was difficult to control with different hand manoeuvres, and the calibration took a long time. Suggestions for improvements were described. Results of the balance tests and self-assessment instruments indicated no improvements in balance performance after AR training. Conclusions: The study showed that training with the new technology is, to some extent, feasible for the elderly, but needs further development. Also, the technology seemed to stimulate increased motivation, which is a prerequisite for adherence to training. However, the new technology and training requires further development and testing in a larger context.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilakshi Yein ◽  
Swati Pal

BACKGROUND Fall is a critical problem that leads to various issues in the elderly. The fear of falling (FOF) is a common problem in the elderly population. There is an association between FOF and balance confidence. Exergaming (EXG) is a promising technology for the elderly to address these issues. Existing EXG needs an advanced infrastructure to install a camera or other devices. In a developing country like India, many areas cannot afford such arrangements. Moreover, the use of exergame itself is relatively new among the elderly in India. OBJECTIVE This study aims to determine the effect of exergame (EXG) technology on FOF and the balance confidence in the Indian elderly. A tailored (Indian context) EXG termed Therapeutic Stepping Exergame (TSE) is used in the study. The paper also shows the relationship between FOF and balance confidence after the use of TSE. METHODS The TSE- a session is 30 minutes per day and seven days a week for four weeks. TSE has incorporated four stepping exercises. Twenty-seven Indian elderly (able to stand and walk independently, ten female and seventeen males; age: 66.44 ± 5.84 years) played four different stepping games in a tailored- EXG for four weeks, thirty minutes per day. For data analysis, SPSS version 20 is used. RESULTS Statistical results confirmed TSE directly affects elderly balance confidence and further supported that it reduces the FOF. Results show significant improvement in the balance confidence at t(26)= 11.735, p=.00, less than .05; and a significant decrease in the FOF at t(26)= -18.528, p=.00, less than .05. There is a significant negative correlation between the FOF and balance confidence at r (26)= -.682, p=.00, less than 0.01. CONCLUSIONS The paper contributes to the elderly- fall and EXG research by providing insight into the TSE’s effectiveness in terms of balance confidence and fear of falling. The analysis suggests that in the Indian context, EXG can be a promising tool for delivering fall preventive exercises and a novel way to motivate the elderly to so. TSE can play a positive influence on the elderly fall research. For future study, more exercises can be incorporated with more participants.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bokyoung Kim ◽  
Gyeong-Ye Lee ◽  
Young-Mi Seo ◽  
Ae-Rim Seo ◽  
Mi-Ji Kim ◽  
...  

Abstract Background This study aimed to provide basic data for preventing and managing sarcopenia by identifying the relationship between sarcopenia, malnutrition, and psychosocial factors among the elderly in the community.Methods The study included 1,019 subjects aged 60 and over. “Possible sarcopenia (PS)” was defined by low handgrip strength with or without reduced physical performance. Nutrition was evaluated according to the mini nutritional assessment (MNA), and the psychosocial factors examined were self-efficacy, social isolation, fear of falling, and social capital (trust and participation). A logistic regression analysis was also performed on the relationship between risk of malnutrition, psychosocial factors, and PS.Results MNA was significantly associated with social participation (exp(B) = 1.747, p < 0.001), fear of falling (exp(B) = 2.905, p < 0.001), and self-efficacy (high/low, exp(B) = 0.654, p = 0.011). In model 3, which included both MNA and psychosocial factors, PS was significantly associated with MNA (exp(B) = 2.529, p < 0.001) and fear of falling (exp(B) = 1.544, p = 0.045). Compared with the low self-efficacy group, the high group (exp(B) = 0.589, p = 0.009) was significant.Conclusion The factors related to PS include risk of malnutrition, fear of falls, and self-efficacy, and social participation was associated with increased risk of malnutrition. In addition to the health program, it will be necessary to improve self-efficacy so that individuals feel they can do activities of daily living themselves and to reduce their fear of falling through muscle strength and balance exercises. Finally, it is also necessary to increase regular participation in community social activities.


2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Gomez-Conesa ◽  
Maria Virgilia Anton Anton ◽  
Daniel Jesus Catalan Matamoros

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