Open AccessMedication Status and Gait Mechanics in Older Adults: A Multivariate Analysis
Author(s) -
Josi Gabaldon,
Robert H. Wood,
Eryn Murphy,
D. Keeley
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of geriatric physical therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.185
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 2152-0895
pISSN - 1539-8412
DOI - 10.1519/jpt.0000000000000253
Subject(s) - gait , cadence , multivariate analysis , gait analysis , medicine , univariate analysis , physical medicine and rehabilitation , multivariate statistics , univariate , falls in older adults , falling (accident) , injury prevention , poison control , geriatrics , physical therapy , emergency medicine , mathematics , statistics , environmental health , psychiatry
Falls are the leading cause of unintentional deaths in older adults, with nearly one-third of adults older than 65 years falling annually. Previous work reveals that both medication status and gait changes are contributing factors to falls in older adults; however, it is unknown how these factors interact. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to examine differences between gait biomechanics as a function of medication status in individuals older than 60 years with a self-reported history of falling. It was hypothesized that differences in gait mechanics would be observed as a function of the number of medications in these individuals.