Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Association Between Balance Confidence And Basic Walking Abilities In People With Unilateral Transtibial Lower-Limb Amputations: A Cross-Sectional Study, Humberto Omaña, Courtney Frengopoulos, Manuel Montero-Odasso, Michael W. Payne, Ricardo Viana, Susan W. Hunter

Physical Therapy Publications

INTRODUCTION: Falls are common for people with lower-limb amputations (PLLA). Low balance confidence is also prevalent, is worse in PLLA not reporting walking automaticity, and is known to negatively affect prosthesis use, social engagement, and quality of life. Moreover, walking with a prosthesis requires continuous attention. Low balance confidence may act as a distractor imposing an additional cognitive load on the already cognitively demanding task of walking with a prosthesis.

METHODS: Adults with unilateral, transtibial amputations were recruited. The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale quantified balance confidence. The L Test assessed basic walking abilities under single-task (ST) (usual) and dual-task …

Evaluating Intrinsic Fall Risk Factors After Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: Distinguishing Fallers From Nonfallers., Kristin E Musselman, Tarun Arora, Katherine Chan, Mohammad Alavinia, Mackenzie Bone, Janelle Unger, Joel Lanovaz, Alison Oates

Physical Therapy Publications

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether performance on measures of lower extremity muscle strength, sensory function, postural control, gait speed, and balance self-efficacy could distinguish fallers from nonfallers among ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D).

DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.

SETTING: Community.

PARTICIPANTS: Individuals (N=26; 6 female, aged 58.9±18.2y) with motor incomplete SCI/D (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale rating C [n=5] or D [n=21]) participated. Participants were 7.5±9.1 years post injury. Seventeen participants experienced traumatic causes of spinal cord injury.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants completed laboratory-based and clinical measures of postural control, gait speed, balance self-efficacy, and lower extremity …

Evaluating The Impact Of Operating A Falls Prevention Community Of Practice On Falls In A Residential Aged Care Setting, Jacqueline Francis-Coad, Terry Haines, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Debbie Nobre, Anne-Marie Hill

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background/Purpose: Falls are a leading adverse event in residential aged care (RAC) settings with prevention a global aim. The purpose of this study was to determine whether operating a falls prevention community of practice (CoP) delivering evidence-based prevention interventions could change the rate of falls and injurious falls in a RAC setting.

Methods: A prospective quasi-experimental pre/post design was conducted. Participants were 13 RAC sites (779 beds) of a single RAC organization, with 20 multidisciplinary staff volunteering as CoP members.

Results: Falls rates pre CoP were 10.1/1,000 occupied bed days (OBD) compared with 10.9 /1,000 OBD post CoP operation [coefficient …

Evaluation Of Older People's Knowledge, Awareness, Motivation And Perceptions About Falls And Falls Prevention In Residential Aged Care Homes: A Tale Of Two Cities, Jacqueline Francis-Coad, Tessa Watts, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Gerwyn Panes, Howard Griffiths, Michelle Anderson, Tracy Williams, Beth Griffiths, Debbie Nobre, Anne-Marie Hill

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Falls prevention strategies can only be effective in reducing falls amongst older people if they are adopted and enacted in their daily lives. There is limited evidence identifying what older people in residential aged care (RAC) homes understand about falls and falls prevention, or what may limit or enable their adoption of strategies. This study was conducted in two countries and explored older people’s knowledge and awareness of falls and their preferences, opportunities and motivation to undertake falls prevention strategies. A cross-sectional survey was administered to participants (N = 70) aged 65 years and over, living in six RAC homes …

Investigating Falls In Adults With Intellectual Disability Living In Community Settings And Their Experiences Of Post-Fall Care Services: Protocol For A Prospective Observational Cohort Study, Portia Ho, Caroline Bulsara, Shane Patman, Max Bulsara, Jenny Downs, Anne-Marie Hill

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Falls among older adults with intellectual disability (ID) are recognised as a serious health problem potentially resulting in reduced health-related quality of life and premature placement in residential care. However there are limited studies that have investigated this problem and thus falls rates among older adults with ID remain uncertain. Furthermore, people with ID rely heavily on familial and professional care support to address health problems, such as after having a fall. No studies have explored the post-fall care that people with ID receive.

Method: This research will be carried out in two phases using a convergent mixed methods …

Pilot Comparative Effectiveness Study Of Surface Perturbation Treadmill Training To Prevent Falls In Older Adults, Jon D. Lurie, Alexandra B. Zagaria, Dawna M. Pidgeon, Judith L. Forman, Kevin Spratt

Dartmouth Scholarship

Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults. Exercise programs appear to reduce fall risk, but the optimal type, frequency, and duration of exercise is unknown. External perturbations such as tripping and slipping are a major contributor to falls, and task-specific perturbation training to enhance dynamic stability has emerged as a promising approach to modifying fall risk. The purpose of this pilot study was 1) to determine the feasibility of conducting a large pragmatic randomized trial comparing a multidimensional exercise program inclusive of the surface perturbation treadmill training (SPTT) to multidimensional exercise alone (Standard PT); …

Cost Effectiveness Of Patient Education For The Prevention Of Falls In Hospital: Economic Evaluation From A Randomized Controlled Trial, Terry P. Haines, Anne-Marie Hill, Keith D. Hill, Sandra G. Brauer, Tammy Hoffmann, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Steven M. Mcphail

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background

Falls are one of the most frequently occurring adverse events that impact upon the recovery of older hospital inpatients. Falls can threaten both immediate and longer-term health and independence. There is need to identify cost-effective means for preventing falls in hospitals. Hospital-based falls prevention interventions tested in randomized trials have not yet been subjected to economic evaluation.

Methods

Incremental cost-effectiveness analysis was undertaken from the health service provider perspective, over the period of hospitalization (time horizon) using the Australian Dollar (A$) at 2008 values. Analyses were based on data from a randomized trial among n = 1,206 acute and …

Mobility, Balance, And Falls In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis, Jacob J. Sosnoff, Michael J. Socie, Morgan K. Boes, Brian M. Sandroff, John H. Pula, Yoojin Suh, Madeline Weikert, Steven Morrison, Robert W. Motl

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: There is a lack of information concerning the relation between objective measures of gait and balance and fall history in persons with MS (PwMS). This investigation assessed the relation between demographic, clinical, mobility and balance metrics and falls history in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: 52 ambulatory persons with MS (PwMS) participated in the investigation. All persons provided demographic information including fall history over the last 12 months. Disease status was assessed with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Walking speed, coordination, endurance and postural control were quantified with a multidimensional mobility battery.

Results: Over 51% of the participants …

A Randomized Trial Comparing Digital Video Disc With Written Delivery Of Falls Prevention Education For Older Patients In Hospital, Anne-Marie Hill, Steven Mcphail, Tammy Hoffman, Keith Hill, David Oliver, Christopher Beer, Sandra Brauer, Terry P. Haines

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of a digital video disc (DVD) with that of a written workbook delivering falls prevention education to older hospital patients on self-perceived risk of falls, perception of falls epidemiology, knowledge of prevention strategies, and motivation and confidence to engage in self-protective strategies. To compare the effect of receiving either education approach versus no education on patients' perception of falls epidemiology.

Design: Randomized trial (DVD vs workbook) with additional quasi-experimental control group.

Settings: Geriatric, medical, and orthopedic wards in Perth and Brisbane, Australia.

Participants: One hundred (n=51 DVD, n=49 workbook) hospital inpatients aged 60 and older …