Dual-Task Balance Test: Aging and the Relationship of Falls and Cognitive Impairment in Institutionalized Elderly

Abstract

[Purpose] In this study, we investigated voluntary step behavior and postural sway under single- and dual-task conditions, and compared them between young subjects and older adult subjects, and between with and without a history of falls for the older adult subjects. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between balance ability and cognitive function in the elderly. [Methods] Subjects performed the rapid voluntary stepping test in a standing position to measured dynamic balance ability, and postural sway with the eyes open was measured as static balance ability. An arithmetic task was used as the secondary cognitive task. [Results] In elderly subjects, there were significant differences between the single- and dual-task conditions in both stepping ability and postural sway. There was no significant difference in postural sway between fallers and non-fallers under both the single- and dual-task conditions. However, the stepping ability of non-fallers was significantly higher than that of fallers under both the single- and dual-task conditions. [Conclusion] These findings suggest that simple stepping ability as a dynamic balance test as well as dual task conditions, may be closely related to the incidence of falls in the elderly people. © 2009, The Society of Physical Therapy Science. All rights reserved.