Objective: To investigate whether lower limb muscle strength could be a risk factor for the first fall among nonfaller community-dwelling older adults. Method: Hip, knee, and ankle peak torque (PT) was measured with an isokinetic dynamometer in 101 older adults with no history of falls in the previous year. Next, the authors followed up the participants on a monthly basis by telephone contact to determine the occurrence of fall episodes over a period of 1 year. Multivariate logistic regression adjusted for confounding variables was applied to assess the relationship between falls and lower limb PT. Results: there was no association between lower limb PT and future falls ( p > .05). Conclusion: Based on these results, it is important to identify other factors that predispose older adults with no history of falls to falling for the first time, so that early and effective preventive strategies may be elaborated.

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The objective was to investigate the association between rate of torque development (RTD) and torque steadiness (TS) of the lower limb and the occurrence of prospective falls in community-dwelling older adults without falls in the previous year. One hundred older adults performed the tests to obtain the RTD and TS of the hip, knee, and ankle. New episodes of falls were monitored through telephone contact for a prospective period of 12 months. The association of RTD and TS with the occurrence of prospective falls was verified by multiple logistic regression adjusted for confounding variables. There was no association between RTD of hip, knee, and ankle and prospective falls. Only the TS at 50% of the peak torque of the hip flexors was associated with the occurrence of future falls (p = .023). Identifying modifiable risk factors for the first fall in older adults is essential for the development of adequate prevention programs.

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BACKGROUND: In a short time, COVID-19 adopted the proportions of a pandemic. Consequently, measures as social distancing were adopted to try to slow down the spread of the disease. The objective of this study was to understand the behavior of the Brazilian older adults during a period of social restriction by Covid-19.METHODS: 61 healthy older adults participated in this study. A questionnaire was applied over 12 months from the beginning of the social restriction recommendations using only telephone contact. The questionnaire included the profile of falls during the evaluation period and 4 questions based on fear and risk of infection by Covid-19, the practice of physical activity and compliance with measures of social restriction. The chi-square test (X2) was used to observe the possible associations between the independent and dependent variables.RESULTS: Most participants were female (90.2%), with mean age of 67 years and secondary education level. 78.7% adopted social restriction measures in the first month while in the last six months 54.1% of the participants complied with restrictive measures. The analysis of the chi-square test showed significant association between the evaluation period and social restriction [X2 (2) = 22.072; p = 0.000] and the risk of being infected [X2 (2) = 17.561; p = 0.000].CONCLUSION: There was a reduction in the number of older adults who complied with social restriction over time and a decrease in the practice of physical exercises in the sample evaluated.