Identification of individuals at high risk of fall using ankle dorsiflexion angle as an indicator and the development of a fall prevention program.

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293465
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gerontological nursing
• Research Institution: Fukushima Medical University
• Principal Investigator: SAKMOTO Yuko 福島県立医科大学, 看護学部, 教授 (20333982)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大崎 瑞恵 福島県立医科大学, 看護学部, 講師 (70525948) ; 海老原 覚 東邦大学, 医学部, 教授 (90323013) ; 齋藤 史子 福島県立医科大学, 看護学部, 助教 (40769486)
• Research Collaborator: KEZUKA Yoshie ; WAKAMATSU Satomi ; TSUBOI Mieko ; ITO Naomi
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 転倒 / 転倒予防 / 足関節背屈角度 / 虚弱高齢者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, we consider the effectiveness of measuring the ankle dorsiflexion angle as a method for identifying the risk of fall in residents of a nursing home. We conducted a study aimed at developing a fall prevention program for increasing the ankle dorsiflexion angle.
To screen for high risk of fall by measuring ankle dorsiflexion angle, a cut-off value of 8° was set for elderly people (n=104) admitted to the nursing home. However, it was not possible to set the cut-off value in the senior residents (103 people).
To prevent falls, we distributed commercially available slippers with an additional weight among the residents, and implemented a program whereby residents would walk in the facility for a 20-minute session, twice a week, for a period of 3 months. Although subjects who were able to continue for 3 months increased their ankle dorsiflexion angle and their Timed Up and Go test results showed improvemen.

Free Research Field

高齢者看護