Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between error in estimated reach distance and falls in community-dwelling elderly people. Subjects consisted of 163 community-dwelling elderly people (mean age 75.9 ± 5.2 years, 55 males and 108 females). Experimental protocol required subjects first to estimate maximum-distance forward reaches and then execute that. The error in estimated reach distance (ED) was defined as the differences between actual and estimated forward reaches, with positive values of error representing underestimates, and negative value representing overestimates. Other assessments included the number of falls in the previous year, absolute value of ED, Functional Reach Test (FRT), Falls Efficacy scale (FES). Then it was explored whether error in estimated reach distance, together with FRT and FES, was associated with falls in elderly people. 52 (31.9%) subjects reported history of fall, 25 of them (15.3%) multiple falls. Mean value of error distance in multiple-fallers was negative and significantly smaller than that in non-fallers (p < 0.05). In logistic regression analysis, ED (Odds Ratio = 0.93) and FES (Odds Ratio = 1.10) were detected as risk factors of multiple falls. Multiple-fallers tended to overestimate their reach excursion. To clarify the relationship between error in estimated reach distance and falls, it is necessary to evaluate other risk factors for falls in prospective study.
