Verifcation of the proprioception as a factor for falls

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26350634
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Kinjo University
• Principal Investigator: Sasaki Kentaro 金城大学, 保健医療学部, 准教授 (90512476)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KIMURA Tsuyoshi 金城大学, 社会福祉学部, 講師 (40512059)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 固有感覚 / 地域在住高齢者 / 転倒予防

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed a portable proprioceptive testing device, and then measured proprioception in 82 community dwellers. The following results were obtained: (1) the threshold value rose with aging; (2) the threshold values tended to be higher into the extension than the flexion; (3) the threshold values showed negative correlations with the strengths of the thigh muscles and the toe flexor muscles; and (4) multiple linear regression analysis showed the threshold value to be a significant independent variable for one-leg standing time. However, comparison of the threshold values of the people who experienced falls and those who did not previous a year showed that there was no difference in these threshold values. Our results do not indicate that proprioception is a factor that affects fall per se of the elderly people in the region examined; however, inadequate proprioception was suggested to possibly have caused poor balancing ability, which is one of the risk factors for falls.

Free Research Field

理学療法