Association between lower limb intra- and intersegmental coordination during gait and fear of falling and falling history in older adults

Castro, Márcia Paula Faria

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/29665

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Authors

Castro, Márcia Paula Faria

Advisor(s)

Sousa, Andreia S. P.

Moreira, Juliana

Abstract(s)

It has been said that, even under healthy circumstances, intersegmental coordination, particularly in the lower limbs, tends to decline with age, affecting gait stability. While fear of falling and a history of falls are known to increase the risk of future falls in order adults, their relantioship with intra- and intersegmental coordination has not yet been fully explored. To explore the association between lower limb intra- and intersegmental coordination and fear (FoF) and history of falling (HoF) in older adults during gait. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 60 participants aged 60 and older. The three-dimensional range of motion of the lower limb joints during gait was assessed using an optoelectronic system. The analysis employed the mean, standard deviation, and coeficiente of variation of the Continous Relative Phase (CRP) variable to assess both intra- and intersegmental coordination throughout the gait cycle. Regarding intra-segmental coordination, the HoF and FoF groups exhibited: higher mean CRP values for the hip-knee (HoF, Ƿ=0.004) and hip ankle (FoF, Ƿ=0.030) in the sagital plane; higher standard deviation values of CRP in the left knee-ankle (HoF, Ƿ=0.006) and the right hip-ankle (HoF, Ƿ=0.004) within the same plane; greater covariation values in the left knee-ankle (FoF, Ƿ=0.048), and right knee-ankle (FoF, Ƿ=0.004) in the sagital plane; and lower covariation values in the left hip-knee in the sagital plane (HoF, Ƿ=0.017) along with lower mean CRP values in the right knee-ankle (FoF, Ƿ=0.009) in the horizontal plane. In terms of inter-segmental coordination, the HoF and FoF groups demonstrated: higher mean CRP values between the knee joints in the sagital plane (HoF, Ƿ=0.046); and lower mean and standard deviation values of CRP between the ankle joints (FoF, Ƿ=0.048 and Ƿ=0.038, respectively). Na association has been established between the fear and falling history and lower limbs intra- and intersegmental coordination during gait in older adults.