Among the multiple risk factors studied , a reduced performance in balance and gait was consistently associated with falls , while the contribution of single physical and cognitive impairments was variable in different population s. Walking aids , wheelchair characteristics and environmental hazards are significant environmental risk factors .
Falling is a common problem among young patients affected by neurological disorders , although the risk of falling for a specific individual is difficult to predict and the risk of a severe fall-related injury has not yet been established .
IMPLICATION S FOR REHABILITATION Young patients with impaired gait and balance or medium to severe motor disability appear to be at increased risk of falling .
Patients who are relatively independent and still participating in challenging activities have an increased exposure to fall-risk .
Walking aids , wheelchair characteristics and environmental hazards are significant environmental risk factors .
PURPOSE To review systematic ally the literature on fall risk factors for young patients affected by neurological disorders .
Executive functions are associated with gait and balance in community-living elderly people.
BACKGROUND Cognition influences gait and balance in elderly people . Executive functions seem to play a key role in this mechanism . Previous studies used only a single test to probe executive functions , and outcome measures were restricted to gait variables . We extend this prior work by examining the association between two different executive functions and measures of both gait and balance , with and without two different cognitive dual tasks . METHODS This is a cross-sectional study with r and omly selected community-living elderly people . Executive functions were tested with the Trail Making Test Parts A and B and the Stroop Color Word Test ; memory with Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery ( CANTAB ) subtests . Patients walked without and with two dual tasks ( subtracting serial sevens and animal naming ) . Main outcomes focused on gait ( velocity , stride length , and stride time variability ) , measured on an electronic walkway , and balance , measured as trunk movements during walking . Associations were assessed with multiple regression models . RESULTS One hundred elderly people , with a mean age 80.6 years ( range 75 - 93 years ) participated . Both dual tasks decreased gait velocity and increased variability and trunk sway . Executive functions were associated with only stride length variability and mediolateral trunk sway during performance of animal naming as the dual task . Memory was not associated with the gait and balance variables . CONCLUSIONS In community-living elderly people , executive functions are associated with gait and balance impairment during a challenging dual-task condition that also depends on executive integrity . Next steps will be to explore the value of executive functions in defining fall-risk profiles and in fall-prevention interventions for frail patients
Among the multiple risk factors studied , a reduced performance in balance and gait was consistently associated with falls , while the contribution of single physical and cognitive impairments was variable in different population s. Walking aids , wheelchair characteristics and environmental hazards are significant environmental risk factors .
Falling is a common problem among young patients affected by neurological disorders , although the risk of falling for a specific individual is difficult to predict and the risk of a severe fall-related injury has not yet been established .
IMPLICATION S FOR REHABILITATION Young patients with impaired gait and balance or medium to severe motor disability appear to be at increased risk of falling .
Patients who are relatively independent and still participating in challenging activities have an increased exposure to fall-risk .
Walking aids , wheelchair characteristics and environmental hazards are significant environmental risk factors .
PURPOSE To review systematic ally the literature on fall risk factors for young patients affected by neurological disorders .