NCT03343769

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

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 34 (actual)
• Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 60 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

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.

Conditions

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

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	BERG scale	Complete the BERG balance scale
OTHER	Functional tests	timed up and go, Mini motor test, retropulsion test
OTHER	Measurement of balance on a force platform	4 trials of 30 seconds x 2 conditions (eyes open; eyes closed)
OTHER	Measurement of maximal moment of the plantar flexor and dorsiflexor muscles	5-second repetitions
OTHER	Measurement of the moment of the plantar flexors and dorsiflexors corresponding to RMS activity during balance measurements	3 10-second repetitions

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-03-01
• Primary completion: 2014-05-01
• Completion: 2016-12-01
• First posted: 2017-11-17
• Last updated: 2026-02-04

Locations

1 site across 1 country: France