Femur-thorax coordination patterns on tandem static balance in elderly fallers and non-fallers

Falls are a common problem among elderly and can lead to serious consequences. The consequences of falls can be severe, especially in older adults, as they can lead to fractures, head injuries, and other complications that can result in disability or even death. Balance during daily activities is a complex process that requires coordination between the limbs and trunk. Vector coding is an important technique for examining coordination in balance, as it allows for the measurement of the magnitude and direction of movement in different body segments. The aim of this study is to examine differences in femur-thorax coordination patterns in the 3-axis on tandem static balance in elderly fallers and non-fallers. 11 elderly fallers, participants who had at least one fall this year, and 11 elderly non-fallers aged 65-90y were employed in this study. Kinematic data were collected from fallers and non-fallers at the Biomechanics Lab – DUTH in Greece. Vector coding technique was used for calculations of coupling angles and mean coupling angles for femur and thorax segment angles in sagittal, frontal and transverse planes. Then, the relative frequencies for four coordination patterns were calculated. Independent t-test was used for our analysis in order to investigate the relative frequencies in the four coordination patterns between the fallers and the non-fallers. According to the results, individuals who did not experience falls tended to use their femur more than their thorax in anti-phase movement within the sagittal plane. In contrast, those who did fall used their thorax more than their femur in anti-phase movement within the frontal plane. These findings highlight the usefulness of vector coding as a quantitative tool for analyzing movement patterns. By identifying specific patterns of coordination associated with falls, this technique can contribute to the development of effective strategies for fall prevention.

C. Kokkotis, D. Menychtas, P. Manaveli, A. Gkrekidis, E. Kouli, A. Kanavaki, E. Douda, V. Gourgoulis, I. Smilios, M. Michalopoulou, G. Sirakoulis, N. Aggelousis