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BackgroundOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent chronic degenerative joint disease in the elderly population. The main signs and clinical symptoms of this disease are pain, edema, stiffness, and articular instability. OA is considered to be an intrinsic risk factor for the occurrence of falls. Falls constitute as one of the major public health concerns. They frequently have a negative impact on the daily life of elderly people and could lead an increase of dependence, fear of new falls, fractures, immobility and death.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to compare physical performance and gait speed among older people with knee osteoarthritis with and without a history of falls.MethodsThe community-dwelling older people (65 and older) were recruited from different social senior groups and from the Hacettepe University Hospital Geriatric Outpatient Clinic. 102 patients were screened and 62 subjects with unilateral knee OA were evaluated. We used a standardized questionnaire, consisting of sociodemographic datas, cognitive function, and history of falls during the previous year. Thirty one elderly with a history of falls and also 31 without a history of falls were studied. Physical performance was evaluated with Short Physical Performance Test (SPPT). Walking speeds were measured with Six Metre Walk Test. Fear of falling (FOF) was assessed by a question (Do you have fear of falling? yes/no)ResultsThere were no differences between faller and non-faller elderly people in terms of age (76±8,4 years) and BMI (30,4±3,1 kg/m2). A statistically significant difference was found in terms of walking speeds and short physical performance test (p<0,005, p<0,005).ConclusionsAs a result of this study, it was shown that the elderly people with knee OA and who have history of falls present worse performance in functional mobility and require a longer period of time to walking.References Huang MH, Lin YS, Yang RC, Lee CL. A comparison of various therapeutic exercises on the functional status of patients with knee osteoarthritis. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2003; 32: 398–406.Hinman RS, Bennell KL, Metcalf BR, Crossley KM. Balance impairments in individuals with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: a comparison with matched controls using clinical tests. Rheumatology 2002; 41: 1388–1394. Disclosure of InterestNone declared

Background: Fall is one of the most common geriatric syndromes in the elderly population. It is important to determine the most effective exercise training in elderly individuals who are at risk of falling. Aim: To investigate the effects of different exercise trainings on functionality in older fallers. Method: A total of 30 older adults, 16 females and 14 males, were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial. The older adults were divided into 3 groups: vestibular exercise (VE), posturography balance exercise (PBE), and square step exercise (SSE) groups. All groups received VE training. Sensory Organization Test (SOT), Adaptation Test (ADT), Fall Efficacy Scale (FES), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Vestibular Disorders Activities of Daily Life Scale (VADL), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Older Adults Module (WHOQOL-Old) were administered before and at the end of the 24 training sessions. Results: The MoCA and the composite balance score of the SOT were improved in the PBE and SSE groups and the FES in all groups. According to multiple comparison analyses, toes up in the VE and PBE groups, toes down of the ADT in the PBE group, VADL in the PBE and SSE groups, the WHOQOL-Old in all groups significantly improved (P < .010). Conclusion: VE training alone is not sufficient for older fallers. A combination of PBE and SSE training, which was applied 3 times a week for 8 weeks, was more effective in improving functionality in older fallers.

Amaç: Çalışmamızın amacı yaşlı bireylerde İkili Görev (Dual Task) Anketi'nin Türkçe versiyonunun geçerlik ve güvenirliğini araştırmaktır. Yöntem: Bu çalışmaya toplumda yaşayan 118 yaşlı birey katıldı. Bireylerin ilk değerlendirmelerinde fiziksel özellikleri ve klinik durumları kaydedilerek Mini Mental Durum Testi (MMDT) uygulandı. İkili Görev Anketinin Türkçe versiyonu, geçerlik ve güvenirliğinin araştırılması için uzman kişiler tarafından çevirisi yapıldı. Çalışmada geçerliği test etmek için Zamanlı Kalk ve Yürü testi (ZKYT) hem motor hem de kognitif görevler ile birlikte ve Tinetti Denge ve Yürüme Değerlendirme Testi uygulandı. Test-tekrar test güvenirliği için, anket 1 hafta sonra aynı fizyoterapist tarafından tekrarlandı. Bulgular: İkili Görev Anketinin ICC değeri 0.991 [95 %CI; 0.984-0.995 (mükemmel)] idi. Yapılan korelasyon analizine göre İkili Görev Anketinin ilk ve ikinci değerlendirmeleri arasında yüksek ilişki (r= 0.982 ) bulundu. Cronbach's alfa katsayısı 0.695 hesaplandı. On maddenin ilişki değerleri 0.90'ın üzerinde idi, bu da değerlendirici içi güvenirliği için çok yüksek bir ilişki olduğunu göstermektedir. İkili Görev Anketi ile ZKYT Motor, ZKYT Kognitif ve Tinetti ölçeğinin arasında, düşük düzeyde ilişki bulundu. Sonuç: Çalışmamızın sonunda, yaşlı bireylerde İkili Görev Anketi'nin Türkçe versiyonunun geçerli ve güvenilir olduğu gösterildi.