The relationship between gait parameters and static and dynamic balance in the elderly

authors:

avatar Razieh Tabe 1 , avatar VahidReza Borhaninejad 2 , * , avatar Yahya Sokhanguei 3 , avatar Heydar Sadeghi 4 , avatar Razieh Sadat Hossieni 2

Dept. of Sports Biomechanics, South Khorasan Payam-e -Noor University, Birjand, Iran
Iranian Research Center on Aging, University ofsSocial Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Dept. of Physiotherapy, University ofsSocial Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Dept. of Biomechanics and Sports Technology, School of Physical Education, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Journal of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences: Vol.18, issue 11; e73999
published online: February 27, 2015
article type: Original Article
received: November 10, 2014
accepted: January 10, 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22110/jkums.v18i11.2354

how to cite: Tabe R, Borhaninejad V, Sokhanguei Y , Sadeghi H, Hossieni R S. The relationship between gait parameters and static and dynamic balance in the elderly. J Kermanshah Univ Med Sci. 2015;18(11):e73999. https://doi.org/10.22110/jkums.v18i11.2354.

Abstract

Background: The physiological changes and muscle problems can lead to balance disorder and increased risk of falling among the elderly. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the factors associated with balance in the elderly, to increase their awareness of the falling risks and to provide them with appropriate assistive devices.. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the relationship between some gait parameters and static and dynamic balance in the elderly.
Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 44 men and women in two groups (22 per group) participated as the study sample. The measured values included step length, stride length, step width, rotating angle of toes, and static and dynamic balance. The static balance was measured with Romberg test and dynamic balance with TUGTU test. Data were analysed by SPSS-15 software using t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient.
Results: There was a significant relationship between step length and stride length with static and dynamic balance and between step width and dynamic balance (p<0/05). But no significant relationship was reported between step width and static balance and between rotating angle of toes with static and dynamic balance among the elderly.
Conclusions: the elderly balance can be improved by decreasing the step length and increasing the stride length, thereby reducing the possibility of their falling.

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