@article{ref1,
title="Comparison of gait patterns in elderly fallers and non-fallers",
journal="Technology and health care",
year="2018",
author="Kwon, Moon-Seok and Kwon, Yu-Ri and Park, Yang-Sun and Kim, Ji-Won",
volume="26",
number="S1",
pages="427-436",
abstract="Gait is associated with an important risk factor of falls in the elderly. It is important to find differences of quantitative gait variables between fallers and non-fallers. The aim of this study was to investigate gait patterns in elderly fallers and non-fallers. Thirty-eight fallers and 38 non-fallers of similar age and height participated in this study. Subjects walked across the GaitRite walkway at self-selected comfortable speeds. Spatio-temporal gait variables were measured to characterize gait patterns. Kinetic variables were derived from normalized vertical ground reaction force (GRF). Independent t-tests were performed to compare the fallers with the non-fallers. The fallers walked more slowly with shorter steps and more variable step times than the non-fallers (p< 0.05). The fallers showed a longer stance phase with increased double-limb support than the non-fallers (p< 0.05). The times to reach maximal weight acceptance and mid-stance of the fallers were significantly longer than those of the non-fallers (p< 0.05). These results suggest that spatio-temporal variables and GRF variables would be useful for distinguishing prospective fallers from non-fallers among the elderly.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0928-7329",
doi="10.3233/THC-174736",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/THC-174736"
}