title: High incidence of falls and fall-related injuries in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury: A prospective study of risk indicators.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify risk indicators for, and incidence of, recurrent falls and fall-related injuries in wheelchair users with traumatic spinal cord injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective multi-centre study.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and forty-nine wheelchair users with spinal cord injury attending follow-up in Sweden and Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inclusion criteria: wheelchair users ≥ 18 years old with traumatic spinal cord injury ≥ 1 year post-injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  individuals with motor complete injuries above C5. Falls were prospectively reported by text message every second week for one year and were followed-up by telephone interviews. Outcomes were: fall incidence, risk indicators for recurrent (> 2) falls and fall-related injuries. Independent variables were: demographic data, quality of life, risk willingness, functional independence, and exercise habits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total sample (n = 149), 96 (64%) participants fell, 45 (32%) fell recurrently, 50 (34%) were injured, and 7 (5%) severely injured. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that reporting recurrent falls the previous year increased the odds ratio (OR) of recurrent falls (OR 10.2, p < 0.001). Higher quality of life reduced the OR of fall-related injuries (OR 0.86, p = 0.037).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previous recurrent falls was a strong predictor of future falls. The incidence of falls, recurrent falls and fall-related injuries was high. Hence, prevention of falls and fall-related injuries is important.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society , Division of physiotherapy, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden. emelie.butler@ki.se.
authors.forename: Emelie Butler
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Forslund
authors.forename: Vivien
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franzén
authors.forename: Arve
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Opheim
authors.forename: Åke
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Seiger
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ståhle
authors.forename: Claes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hultling
authors.forename: Johan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Stanghelle
authors.forename: Kirsti Skavberg
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Roaldsen
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wahman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014910:Wheelchairs / Q000009:adverse effects*