@article{ref1,
title="The influence of fear of falling on gait and balance in older people",
journal="Age and ageing",
year="2009",
author="Reelick, Miriam F. and van Iersel, Marianne B. and Kessels, Roy P. C. and Rikkert, Marcel G. M. Olde",
volume="38",
number="4",
pages="435-440",
abstract="BACKGROUND: fear of falling (FoF) has great impact on functioning and quality of life of older people, but its effects on gait and balance are largely unknown. METHODS: we examined FoF in 100 participants aged >/= 75 years, using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale. Participants with a mean score <67% were assigned to the FoF group. We quantified gait and balance during walking at the preferred velocity with and without a cognitive dual task (arithmetic task and verbal fluency), using an electronic walkway (Gaitrite(R)) and a trunk accelerometer (SwayStar(R)). Primary outcome measures were gait velocity, stride-length and stride-time variability, as well as mediolateral angular displacement and velocity. RESULTS: gait velocity was significantly lower (P < 0.05) and stride-length and stride-time variability were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the FoF group. However, after standardisation for gait velocity, differences became non-significant. Mediolateral angular displacement and velocity were not associated with FoF. We found no difference between the FoF and no-FoF group with respect to the dual-task effect on gait and balance variables. CONCLUSIONS: the lower gait velocity in the FoF group may be a useful adaptation to optimise balance, rather than a sign of decreased balance control. The ability to attend to a secondary task during walking is not influenced by FoF.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0002-0729",
doi="10.1093/ageing/afp066",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afp066"
}