Adaptability to perturbation as a predictor of future falls: a preliminary prospective study.
BACKGROUND
Falls often result from failed responses to unexpected, externally applied perturbations. Whether performance-based, reaction-based, and/or adaptation-based assessment tools can predict future fails among community-dwelling older adults is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
This preliminary prospective study examined the relationship between older adults' future fall risk and their reactive responses and adaptations to repeated slips, and their functional status.


METHODS
Thirteen community-dwelling adults (>64 years) were exposed initially to a session of repeated slips. About 30 months later, self-reported falls experience data were collected for the preceding year from these participants. Slip outcome (fall, loss of balance, or recovery), slip score (weighted sum of slip outcomes), Timed Up and Go scores, and future fall incidence were recorded.


RESULTS
Four participants who reported at least 1 fall had significantly higher slip scores than the rest. In contrast, neither failed recovery on the first slip nor a higher TUG score predicted greater odds of future falls.


CONCLUSIONS
Community-dwelling older adults' adaptability to externally imposed perturbations may reveal their future fall risk.
Pai
Yi-Chung
YC
Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago 60612, USA. cpai@uic.edu
Wang
Edward
E
Espy
Debbie D
DD
Bhatt
Tanvi
T
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D004856:Postural Balance; D011930:Reaction Time