The effects of reducing fear of falling on locomotion in older adults with a higher level gait disorder

Fear of falling (FOF) is one of the key clinical features affecting older adults with a higher-level gait disorder (HLGD), however, its effect on gait is not clear. Twenty-one HLGD patients walked under four conditions: 1) usual walking, 2) while holding a physical therapist's hand, 3) while us...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Neural Transmission 2007-10, Vol.114 (10), p.1309-1314
Main Authors: Balash, Yacov, Hadar-Frumer, M, Herman, Talia, Peretz, Chava, Giladi, Nir, Hausdorff, Jeffrey M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidental Falls - prevention & control
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Fear
Female
Gait Disorders, Neurologic - physiopathology
Gait Disorders, Neurologic - psychology
Gait Disorders, Neurologic - rehabilitation
Geriatrics
Humans
Locomotion - physiology
Male
Physical Therapy Modalities
Regression Analysis
Trauma Severity Indices
Veterans Disability Claims
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Summary:Fear of falling (FOF) is one of the key clinical features affecting older adults with a higher-level gait disorder (HLGD), however, its effect on gait is not clear. Twenty-one HLGD patients walked under four conditions: 1) usual walking, 2) while holding a physical therapist's hand, 3) while using a walker, and 4) while being guarded. All three interventions reduced FOF, but guarding did not significantly affect any gait parameter (p > 0.10) and the walker only increased gait speed. In contrast, handholding improved gait speed and reduced gait variability, however, an altered gait pattern persisted even with handholding. Interventions such as handholding, guarding or use of a walker apparently may reduce FOF in HLGD patients, but the impact of this reduction on gait is limited. Thus, it appears that the gait disturbances in these patients are apparently not simply the consequence of FOF.
ISSN:0300-9564
1435-1463
DOI:10.1007/s00702-007-0771-z