Relationship Between Fear of Falling and Physical Activity in People Aging With a Disability

• Published in: PM & R 2020-05, Vol.12 (5), p.454-461
• Main Authors: Matsuda, Patricia N., Eagen, Thomas, Hreha, Kimberly P., Finlayson, Marcia L., Molton, Ivan R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1934-1482; 1934-1563
• DOI: 10.1002/pmrj.12289

Background An estimated one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability and may face many challenges as they age, including increased fall risk. Understanding the risk factors linking falls, fear of falling, and activity restriction is critical for developing effective programs to increase activity levels among persons with disabilities. Objectives To determine if differences exist in the level of physical activity in people with different types of conditions associated with disability and to investigate if fear of falling is associated with physical activity in individuals who are aging with a long‐term disability. Design Cross‐sectional retrospective design. Setting Community. Participants A convenience sample of 1812 community‐dwelling individuals who had one of four diagnoses: multiple sclerosis (MS), muscular dystrophy (MD), spinal cord injury (SCI), or post‐polio syndrome (PPS). Methods Descriptive statistics, chi‐square, and analysis of variance, followed by multivariate linear regression analysis were used to examine the association between physical activity status and fear of falling. Main Outcome Measurements Physical activity volume and fear of falling. Results After controlling for age, sex, duration of disability, and mobility level, there was variation across diagnostic groups (P