124 Core Stability is Involved in the Fall Risk of Older Adults
Abstract Background Fall prevention in older adults is an important task. Lower extremity function is a main focus in fall prevention. There are few previous studies focusing on core stability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fall risk and core stability. Methods The study participants were 33 community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 65±17 years old; 5 men, 28 women). The fall risk was assessed using the Fall Risk Index-21 (FRI-21). Core stability measured the retention time of Side Bridge (SB) and Front Bridge (FB). Secondary outcome measures included lower extremity muscle strength (knee extension, hip abduction) and physical function (two-step test). Statistical analysis investigated the correlation between the measurement items. Results We found a significant negative correlation between FRI-21 and SB (r = -0.51, p<0.01) and FRI-21 and FB (r = -0.47, p<0.01). We also found a correlation between FRI-21 and the two-step test (r = -0.40, p<0.05). There was no significant correlation between FRI-21 and lower extremity muscle strength. Discussion FRI and Core stability showed moderate correlation. It suggests that the core and hip muscle functions involved in posture retention are involved with fall. Conclusion The risk of falls in older adults was related to core stability. If the core stability of older adults improves, it may help to reduce the risk of falling. Therefore, it is useful to consider core stability in the assessment of fall risk.