Falls, muscle strength, and functional abilities in community-dwelling elderly women

Abstract

Introduction: Falls are among the most common and serious problems facing elderly women. Falling is associated with increased mortality, morbidity, reduced functioning, loss of independence and hospitalization. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association among fear of falling, muscle strength, and functional abilities in community-dwelling elderly women. Methods: Forty-nine elderly women (70.57 ± 5.59 years) participated in this study. Records of falls, self-efficacy associated with falls (FES- I

Effects of Conventional Proprioceptive Training and Virtual Reality on Functionality and Fear of Falling in Elderly Women: Randomized Clinical Trial

“…The concern with the fear of falling in elderly people exponentially limits the performance of habitual tasks that demand multiple interactions of the sensory-motor system [4]. Elderly individuals with functional capacity, balance and gait alterations end up having impairments in the execution of a safe and effective ambulation and compromise the self-confidence of these individuals in avoiding falls, generating a basis for the construction of the fear of falling [5].…”

“…The characteristics of the aging process are biochemical, morphological, physiological and psychological alterations, which predispose individuals to the progressive loss of the ability to adapt to the environment, to the appearance and worsening of diseases, altering their motor and cognitive abilities [1]. Physiological alterations with impact on mobility, balance, and physical performance stand out, making the individual more susceptible to falls and the fear of falling, which can cause possible fractures and consequent immobility [2][3][4][5].…”

Hemodynamics and functional outcomes after resistance training in hypertensive and normotensive elderly: An experimental study

“…These tests (functional and muscle strength) are used in clinical practice to diagnose geriatric syndromes, risk of falls (conditions that predict hospitalization), institutionalization, and mortality in the elderly [50][51][52] . Low muscle strength is a negative predictor of functional capacity in the elderly, including those with arterial hypertension 53 . Low muscle strength is associated with high-pressure levels and higher levels of strength with less risk for the development of hypertension in the elderly 49,54 .…”

Funcionalidade e força muscular estão associadas ao risco e medo de quedas em idosos?

“…Em relação ao impacto da força muscular sobre o risco de queda dos idosos, estudiosos (21) sugerem que a partir da sexta década de vida a redução da força muscular em MMSS e MMII torna-se mais evidente, e que essa redução é ainda mais expressiva nos MMII. Outro estudo concluiu que a baixa força muscular associou-se à ocorrência de quedas no último ano em relação aos idosos avaliados.…”

“…Vale ressaltar que a AVD é usada para medir a capacidade funcional. No presente estudo, além de estar associada ao medo de cair, ainda sugere um impacto negativo nas funções, estrutura do corpo e cognição (21) .…”