title: Correlation between the body balance and functional capacity from elderly with chronic vestibular disorders.
abstract: Vestibular disorders are common among the elderly, mainly resulting in dizziness and imbalance--symptoms which can impact daily routine activities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the correlation between body balance and functional capacity and a comparison of risk of falls, actual falls and the functional capacity of the elderly with chronic vestibular dysfunctions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, clinical and experimental study with 50 senior citizens--60 to 86 years, with chronic peripheral vestibular dysfunction. These participants underwent body balance assessment by the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) and functional capacity assessment by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The data was tested using the Spearman correlation and comparison tests, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis, being α=5% (0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant correlation between the total DGI score and all FIM scores, especially the total score (r=0.447; p<0.001) and loss of functional capacity in elderly patients with the highest risk of falling (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a positive correlation between body balance and functional capacity in elderly patients with peripheral vestibular disorders, that is: the better the balance, the better the individual's functional capacity. In addition, a worse functional capacity increases the individual's risk of falling.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Mestrado em Reabilitação do Equilíbrio Corporal e Inclusão Social, Universidade Bandeirante de São Paulo, Brasil. 　raquel.ferreira.s@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Raquel Ferreira de
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Juliana Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gazzola
authors.forename: Maurício Malavasi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ganança
authors.forename: Célia Aparecida
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Paulino
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests