Relationships Between Simple Toe Elevation Angle in the Standing Position and Dynamic Balance and Fall Risk Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

• Published in: PM & R Vol. 7; no. 10; pp. 1059 - 1063
• Main Authors: Takatori, Katsuhiko, Matsumoto, Daisuke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.10.2015; Wiley
• Subjects: Accidental Falls; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Geriatric Assessment; Humans; Male; Observer Variation; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Postural Balance; Postural Balance - physiology; Posture; Posture - physiology; Range of Motion, Articular; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Residence Characteristics; Risk Factors; Toes
• ISSN: 1934-1482; 1934-1563; 1934-1563
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.04.006

To investigate the relationships between toe elevation ability in the standing position and dynamic balance and fall risk among community-dwelling older adults. Cross-sectional survey. General community. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 287). Toe elevation angles in the standing position. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of measurements of the toe elevation angle was high (internal coefficient of correlation [ICC] (1,2) = 0.94 for the former and ICC (2,1) = 0.90 for the latter). Significant correlations were found between the toe elevation angle and age (r = −0.20, P < .01), 5-m walking time (r = −0.31, P < .01), Functional Reach Test (r = 0.36, P < .01), Timed Up and Go Test (r = −0.36, P < .01), and Chair Stand Test (r = 0.26, P < .01). Subjects who experienced a fall in the previous 6 months had a significantly lower toe elevation angle compared with subjects who did not experience a fall (t = 2.19, P < .05). Multiple regression analysis revealed that results of the Functional Reach Test (β = .22, P < .001) and Timed Up and Go Test (β = −0.74, P < .001) were significantly associated with the toe elevation angle. Toe elevation angle was an index of dynamic balance ability and appears to be a simple screening test for fall risk in community-dwelling older adults.