Table 1.
Characteristics of the Study Sample
| Characteristic |
Sample (n=39) |
Non-fallers (n=15) |
Fallers (≥1 falls; n=24) |
Recurrent fallers (≥2 falls; n=14) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | ||||
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 13 | 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Female | 26 | 10 | 16 | 10 |
| Residence | ||||
| Residential | 26 | |||
| Retirement community | 3 | |||
| Independent living facility | 10 | |||
| Comorbidities* | ||||
| Joint replacements | 6 | |||
| Vertebral impingement | 1 | |||
| Arthritis | 2 | |||
| Low BMD | 1 | |||
| Disc removal | 3 | |||
| Neck and back surgery | 1 | |||
| Diabetes | 4 | |||
| Tumour/cancer survivor | 4 | |||
| Vertigo | 2 | |||
| COPD, bronchitis | 1 | |||
| Emphysema | 2 | |||
| Controlled high BP | 9 | |||
| Pacemaker | 1 | |||
| Claudication | 1 | |||
| One eye blindness | 1 | |||
| Hypothyroid | 1 | |||
| Mean (SD) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 73.3 (6.9) | 73.2 (7.1) | 73.3 (6.9) | 71.6 (7.3) |
| CB&M, /96 | 47.5 (18.6) | 55.6 (20.0) | 43.1 (16.5) | 36.1 (12.7) |
| ABC, /100% | 87.76 (12.09) | 90.9 (10.2) | 85.3 (12.9) | 79.0 (13.3) |
| DGI, /24 | 19.78 (3.49) | 20.8 (3.3) | 19.2 (3.4) | 17.6 (3.4) |
| BBS, /56 | 53.13 (2.53) | 54.1 (2.2) | 52.4 (2.5) | 51.5 (2.6) |
| SPPB, /12 | 10.46 (1.62) | 10.9 (1.62) | 10.1 (1.5) | 9.7 (1.6) |
| TUGT, s | 10.36 (2.18) | 9.6 (2.1) | 10.7 (2.1) | 10.9 (2.3) |
| FRT, in. | 11.0 (2.15) | 11.1 (2.8) | 11.0 (1.5) | 11.05 (1.7) |
*
Some participants had more than one comorbidity.
BMD=bone mineral density; COPD=chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; BP=blood pressure; CB&M=Community Balance and Mobility Scale; ABC=Activities-Specific Balance Confidence; DGI=Dynamic Gait Index; BBS=Berg Balance Scale; SPPB=Short Physical Performance Battery; TUGT=timed up-and-go test; FRT=Functional Reach Test.