Study of the Relationship Between the Strength of Ankle Movement Muscles and Postural Parameters in Elderly Fallers: Towards New Strategies for Screening and Management

University Hospital Center (CHU) Dijon Bourgogne

Status

Completed

Conditions

Persons Who Have Experienced a Sudden Uncontrolled Fall in the Absence of Outside Factors in the 6 Months Preceding the Consultation

Treatments

Other: Functional tests

Other: Measurement of balance on a force platform

Other: Measurement of maximal moment of the plantar flexor and dorsiflexor muscles

Other: BERG scale

Other: Measurement of the moment of the plantar flexors and dorsiflexors corresponding to RMS activity during balance measurements

Study type

Observational

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT03343769

GREMEAUX DRCI 2009-2

Details and patient eligibility

About

The quality of life of elderly citizens is to a great extent related to the maintenance of independence. The risk of falling and the loss of autonomy are two frequent problems associated with ageing. Although the impact of falls on functional outcomes and morbi-mortality in the elderly is well-established, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these falls are poorly understood. To better assess the risk of falling, numerous studies have investigated the use of dynamic and static posturography. These studies sought to characterise populations of fallers and non-fallers using parameters from postural analysis. Nonetheless, a new concept may emerge: weakening of the ankle movement muscles may be implicated in the age-related deterioration of posture. Even though it has been shown that this decrease occurs earlier and is more severe in fallers, the direct relationship between the strength of ankle movement muscles and balance parameters in elderly fallers has not yet been established. The existence of such a relationship would make it possible on the one hand to facilitate screening for those with a risk of falling, and on the other hand to enrich our understanding of the pathophysiology of the risk of falling. The perspective would therefore be to propose programmes focused on the strengthening of these deficient muscles.

Enrollment

34 patients

Sex

All

Ages

60 to 90 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Control group:

Subjects who have provided written informed consent
Subjects with national health insurance cover
Subjects aged between 60 and 90 years old
Able to understand simple instructions and exercise instructions and to provide informed consent
with no diseases that could compromise postural abilities and ankle muscle strength.
Subjects who have not experience a sudden uncontrolled fall in the absence of outside factors in the 6 months preceding inclusion.

Patients group

Subjects who have provided written informed consent
Subjects with national health insurance cover
Subjects aged between 60 and 90 years old
Able to understand simple instructions and exercise instructions and to provide informed consent
Subjects who have experienced at least one sudden uncontrolled fall in the absence of outside factors in the 6 months preceding inclusion.

Exclusion criteria

Acute balance disorders (central vestibular syndrome, infection or toxic cause)
Chronic vestibular disease with proven clinical repercussions
Any severe neuro-orthopedic disease impairing balance as well as physiological impairments due to ageing Any chronic neurological disorder (stroke, Parkinson syndrome…)
Any psychiatric disorder able to compromise participation
Non-corrected vision disorder
Cancer or any progressive disease
Treatment with psychotropic agents able to impair vigilance and posture
Patients under guardianship
Patients with an ADL score <3 (total of 6 points), reflecting a clinically obvious high risk of falling