Sensory reweighting: A rehabilitative mechanism?

Abstract

Falls in the elderly are dangerous, debilitating, and costly. Of the population over 65 years of age, one-third to one-half experiences falls annually; of these, half do so repeatedly. Falls are the leading cause of injury in older adults and the primary cause of accidental death in those over age 85. Five percent of falls lead to a fracture, with hip fractures being the most common (greater than 200,000 annually). One in 10 of these individuals will die of complications, and 25% of survivors will never regain their previous mobility. An additional 10% of all older adults who fall will sustain other serious injuries requiring medical care, such as head injuries (?) The cost of direct care for hip fracture patients alone is now estimated to be in excess of 10 billion dollars a year. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.