Understanding the Relationship Between Walking Aids and Falls in Older Adults

Abstract

Using walking aids is a risk factor for future falls among the older population living in residential settings. A substantial proportion of the relationship between walking aids and future falls could be explained by an altered spatiotemporal gait pattern, increased age, and psychotropic drug intake. This finding supports the aim of extensive training periods and appropriate instructions on the proper use of walking aids in terms of adequate and safe gait patterns.

Analysis of risk factors for falls in geriatric patients: a single institutional experience

“…Our results are consistent with international researches; on the other hand, the use of a walking aid may protect against falls in those who have impaired mobility. 37 Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for falls among our patients. Cigarette smoking is associated with low bone mass and increased fall-related fractures.…”

LSTM-based Network for Human Gait Stability Prediction in an Intelligent Robotic Rollator

“…The measures of these distances are indicative of the stability of a person while walking. Although a human supported by a walking aid has an enlarged BoS, the reported high fall incidents of walking aid users [42], along with the fact that users often disengage their hands from the aid to perform several actions, led us to consider the general notion of the human-centric BoS in this particular paper.…”

Differences in the Limits of Stability Between Older Rolling Walker Users and Older Single-Tip-Cane Users — A Preliminary Study

“…In addition, typical gait is accomplished through the integration of information received from sensory organs and through the execution of coordinated, synchronized, and reciprocal movements of UEs and LEs (Paulus, Straube, & Brandt, 1984). When an individual ambulates with a cane or a RW, the rhythmic alternating left and right arm movement during gait could be affected in cane users or even absent in RW users (Bateni & Maki, 2005;Brooks, Wertsch, & Duthie, 1994;De Mettelinge & Cambier, 2015;Liu, 2009;Liu et al, 2011). Keeping these changes in BOS and gait patterns in mind, it is understandable that over time AAD users may have to gradually adapt all of his/her activities based on the "larger" BOS (Shadmehr & Mussa-Lvaldi, 1994).…”

“…Every year, more than 47,000 elderly Americans end up in emergency rooms from falls involving using a walker or a cane; among these AAD fallers, 87.3% were walker users while 12.3% were cane users (Stevens, Thomas, Teh, & Greenspan, 2009). Several studies have reported a possible association between using a walker or a cane and potential falls in older adults (American Geriatrics Society, British Geriatrics Society, & American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeon Panel on Fall Prevention, 2001; Bateni & Maki, 2005;De Mettelinge & Cambier, 2015;Liu, 2009;Liu et al, 2011;Silva-Smith, Kluge, LeCompte, & Snook, 2013). It is found that among older AAD users, poor posture is the most significant factor correlated with falls; such correlation mainly results from improper selection of an AAD, incorrect height of an AAD for individual use, and poor maintenance of an AAD like loose joints or worn tips/tennis balls (Liu, 2009;Liu et al, 2011).…”

“…Past studies have revealed that AAD users are a vulnerable population and prone to falls (Stevens et al, 2009), particularly in older rolling walker users (Stevens et al, 2009;Van Riel et al, 2014). Using an AAD may be associated with an increased fear of falling (Liu, Grando, Zabel, & Nolen, 2009), dependence on AADs (Liu, Zabel, & Prati, 2007), increased postural sway (Liu, Grando et al, 2009;Liu, McGee, Prati, Garrison, & Fu, 2009;Liu, McGee, Wang, & Persson, 2009), and an altered gait pattern (De Mettelinge & Cambier, 2015;Hardi, Bridenbaugh, Gschwind, & Kressing, 2014;Liu, McGee, Wang, & Persson, 2009) in older AAD users.…”