Associations between physical function, balance confidence, and the probability of walking instability among older adults.

Shannon Bush, Kavya Katugam-Dechene, Andrew Shelton, Jessica Allen, Vicki Mercer, Jeremy Crenshaw, Jason R Franz

Division of Physical Therapy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.Division of Physical Therapy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

There is a critical need to better understand the physical and psychophysiological factors that precipitate walking instability in older adults. A recent advancement in the capacity to measure walking-related instability from 3D motion analysis - termed "probability of instability" or PoI - holds promise to more accurately capture a person's risk of losing balance.

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Research summary

The paper claims that there is a significant association between physical function, balance confidence, and the probability of walking instability in older adults. This research is relevant as it addresses factors that contribute to mobility and stability in aging populations, which are critical for maintaining independence and quality of life in older adults.

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