[Prediction of falls with performance on Timed "Up-and-Go" and one-leg-balance tests and additional cognitive tasks].
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to determine whether ordinary clinical performance on the timed "up-and-go" and one-leg-balance tests varied with additional cognitive tasks and the predictive value of this combination for future falls.


METHODS
The sample comprised 95 women with osteoporosis who lived independently in the community and were older than 70 years (mean 73.4+/-1.7 years) who were randomized to perform the timed "up-and-go" (TUG) and one-leg-balance (OLB) tests. The tests were performed with or without an additional cognitive task (math task involving subtraction by 2 s or 5 s or addition by 3 s).


RESULTS
For both TUG and OLB, performance decreased in the dual-task condition (P<0.05) but did not differ in older women with and without a history of falling, whatever the test, and with or without an additional cognitive load.


CONCLUSIONS
Performance on the TUG and OLB tests was less efficient when patients simultaneously performed a cognitive task. Performance on these tests, without or with cognitive tasks, did not predict falls in a sample of women who lived independently.
Vaillant
J
J
Laboratoire de sport et performance motrice, université Joseph-Fourier Grenoble-I, Grenoble, France. JVaillant@chu-grenoble.fr
Martigné
P
P
Vuillerme
N
N
Caillat-Miousse
J-L
JL
Parisot
J
J
Juvin
R
R
Nougier
V
V
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000503:physiopathology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis