Search results for "Accidental Falls"
showing 10 items of 100 documents
Appendicular Muscle Mass, Thigh Intermuscular Fat Infiltration, and Risk of Fall in Postmenopausal Osteoporotic Elder Women
2020
<b><i>Background:</i></b> The association between the quantity and composition of skeletal muscle and the decline in physical function in elderly is poorly understood. Therefore, the primary aim of this cross-over study was to investigate the association between thigh intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) infiltration, appendicular muscle mass, and risk of fall in postmenopausal osteoporotic elder women. Second, we examined the differences in muscle mass, IMAT, and risk of fall in the same sample of older subjects after being classified as sarcopenic or nonsarcopenic on the basis of the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-based Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Inde…
Psychomotor disadaptation syndrome
2020
Psychomotor disadaptation syndrome (PDS) was first described by the Geriatrics School of Dijon (France), three decades ago, under the name «psychomotor regression syndrome». Over time, the original clinical features remained unchanged. However, progress has been made in its pathophysiology understanding and care, hence the new name, PDS, appeared in the 1990s. The PDS is also called sub-cortico-frontal dysfunction syndrome since the 2000s. It corresponds to a decompensation of posture, gait and psychomotor automatisms, related to an alteration of the postural and motor programming, which is a consequence of sub-cortico-frontal lesions. The clinical features of PDS associate backward disequi…
Evaluation of balance and fall risk in geriatric ward patients.
2021
Background. The physical changes inherent to aging can reduce autonomy and functional independence, which may directly or indirectly lead to falls. Aim of the study. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of falls in patients over 75 years of age. Materials and methods. Fifty elderly patients were examined. The subjects were divided into the three age groups: 75–79, 80–84 and 85–90 years old. The Berg Balance Scale was used to assess the risk of falls related to the balance skills. Results. The average Berg Balance Scale score in the 75–79 age group was 37.6 points; for 80–84, 33.53 points; and for 85–90, 27.81 points. The difference between the youngest and oldest age group was stati…
Effects of Exercise on Health-Related Quality of Life and Fear of Falling in Home-Dwelling Older Women
2012
This randomized, controlled trial evaluated the effects of exercise on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and fear of falling (FoF) among 149 home-dwelling older women. The 12-mo exercise program was intended to reduce the risk of falls and fractures. HRQoL was assessed by the RAND-36 Survey, and FoF, with a visual analog scale, at baseline, 12 mo, and 24 mo. On all RAND-36 scales, the scores indicated better health and well-being. The exercise had hardly any effect on HRQoL; only the general health score improved slightly compared with controls at 12 mo (p = .019), but this gain was lost at 24 mo. FoF decreased in both groups during the intervention with no between-groups difference at…
Fear of falling and coexisting sensory difficulties as predictors of mobility decline in older women.
2012
BACKGROUND: Mobility decline, the coexistence of several sensory difficulties and fear of falling (FOF) are all common concerns in older people; however, knowledge about the combined effect of FOF and coexisting sensory difficulties on mobility is lacking. METHODS: Data on self-reported FOF, difficulties in hearing, vision, balance, and walking 2 km were gathered with a structured questionnaire among 434 women aged 63-76 years at baseline and after a 3-year follow-up. Logistic regression models were used for analyses. RESULTS: Every third participant reported difficulties in walking 2 km at baseline. In cross-sectional analysis, the odds ratio for difficulties in walking 2 km was higher amo…
A lower-limb training program to improve balance in healthy elderly women using the T-Bow® Device
2009
Ageing impairs balance, which increases the risk of falls. Fall-related injuries are a serious health problem associated with dependency and disability in the elderly and results in high costs to public health systems. This study aims to determine the effects of a training program to develop balance using a new device called the T-Bow (R). A total of 28 women > 65 years were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG) (n = 18; 69.50 [0.99] years), or a control group (CG) (n = 10; 70.70 [2.18] years). A program for lower limbs was applied for 8 weeks using 5 exercises on the T-Bow (R): squat, lateral and frontal swings, lunges, and plantarflexions. The intensity of the exercises was cont…
Link between cardiovascular disease and the risk of falling: a comprehensive review of the evidence.
2021
Falls are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, rising hospital readmission rates, decreased patient independence, and strained healthcare resources. In aged populations and individuals with multimorbidity, cardiovascular conditions may contribute towards an increased propensity to fall. The prevalence of cardiovascular conditions generally increases with age, and understanding potential fall risk factors may help to minimize the risk of falls and develop preventive interventions. Acting on even one such risk factor or introducing an appropriate intervention may reduce the overall propensity for a patient to fall. Further prevention strategies primed towards cardiovascular ailm…
Accumulation of sensory difficulties predicts fear of falling in older women
2013
Objectives: To explore whether the accumulation of sensory difficulties predicts fear of falling (FOF), and whether the traits correlate with each other regardless of familial factors. Methods: Self-reported hearing, vision and balance difficulties, and FOF were assessed using structured questionnaires at the baseline and after a 3-year follow-up in 63- to 76-year-old women ( n = 434). Results: Among the women without FOF at baseline ( n = 245), 41% reported FOF at follow-up. Increasing numbers of sensory difficulties at baseline predicted higher incidence of FOF. The relationship between accumulated sensory difficulties and FOF was not mediated by familial factors. Discussion: The accumul…
Associations of neuroticism with falls in older adults : do psychological factors mediate the association?
2020
OBJECTIVES Neuroticism predicts falls in older people. In addition, concern about falling and depressive symptoms are associated with fall risk. This study examined whether concern about falling and depressive symptoms mediate the association between neuroticism and falls. METHOD Cross-sectional data on 314 community-dwelling people aged 70–85 years were utilized. Neuroticism was assessed with a short modified form of the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Indoor and outdoor falls during the past year were self-reported. Concern about falling was assessed with the Falls Efficacy Scale-International and depressive symptoms with the Geriatric Depression Scale-15. Path modeling was used to examine…
Multifactorial Assessment of Risk of Falling in 753 Post-Menopausal Women: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study by the Italian Group for the Study of …
2020
Giovanni Iolascon,1 Alessandro de Sire,1&ndash; 3 Dario Calafiore,1,4 Maria Grazia Benedetti,5 Carlo Cisari,2,6 Giulia Letizia Mauro,7 Silvia Migliaccio,8 Ranuccio Nuti,9 Giuseppina Resmini,10 Stefano Gonnelli,9 Antimo Moretti1 1Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties and Dentistry, University of Campania &ldquo;Luigi Vanvitelli&rdquo;, Naples, Italy; 2Physical and Rehabilitative Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont &ldquo;A. Avogadro&rdquo;, Novara, Italy; 3Rehabilitation Unit, &ldquo;Mons L. Novarese&rdquo; Hospital, Vercelli, Moncrivello, Italy; 4Section of Neuromotor Rehabilitation, Department of Neuroscience, ASST Ca…