title: Accelerometer versus footswitch evaluation of gait unsteadiness and temporal characteristics of gait in two elderly patient groups.
abstract: We examined anterior-posterior and medio-lateral head and trunk movements during gait using accelerometers, and a footswitch evaluation of temporal gait parameters of elderly fallers with a primary diagnosis of Orthostatic Hypotension, elderly fallers without Orthostatic Hypotension, and a control group of healthy elderly non-fallers. We wanted to evaluate whether both sets of measures can be used to differentiate between patient groups. We were able to significantly differentiate between the three elderly groups to the same extent using both sets of measures.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Electronic and Computer Engineering and the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. alanbarret@gmail.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Culhane
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Finucane
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mulkerrin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olaighin
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods*; D018908:Muscle Weakness; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology