Programa de Mestrado em Reabilitação do Equilíbrio Corporal e Inclusão Social, Universidade Bandeirante de São Paulo, Brasil.
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2011 Nov-Dec;77(6):791-8. doi: 10.1590/S1808-86942011000600017.
Vestibular disorders are common among the elderly, mainly resulting in dizziness and imbalance--symptoms which can impact daily routine activities.
To study the correlation between body balance and functional capacity and a comparison of risk of falls, actual falls and the functional capacity of the elderly with chronic vestibular dysfunctions.
A cross-sectional, clinical and experimental study with 50 senior citizens--60 to 86 years, with chronic peripheral vestibular dysfunction. These participants underwent body balance assessment by the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) and functional capacity assessment by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The data was tested using the Spearman correlation and comparison tests, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis, being α=5% (0.05).
There was a significant correlation between the total DGI score and all FIM scores, especially the total score (r=0.447; p<0.001) and loss of functional capacity in elderly patients with the highest risk of falling (p<0.001).
There is a positive correlation between body balance and functional capacity in elderly patients with peripheral vestibular disorders, that is: the better the balance, the better the individual's functional capacity. In addition, a worse functional capacity increases the individual's risk of falling.
前庭障碍在老年人中很常见，主要导致头晕和失衡——这些症状会影响日常生活活动。
研究身体平衡与功能能力之间的相关性，并比较慢性前庭功能障碍老年人的跌倒风险、实际跌倒和功能能力。
这是一项横断面、临床和实验研究，共有 50 名 60 至 86 岁的老年人患有慢性周围前庭功能障碍。这些参与者接受了动态步态指数（DGI）的身体平衡评估和功能性独立测量（FIM）的功能能力评估。使用 Spearman 相关和比较检验、Mann-Whitney 和 Kruskal-Wallis 检验对数据进行了测试，α=5%（0.05）。
DGI 总分与所有 FIM 评分均呈显著相关，尤其是总分（r=0.447；p<0.001）和具有最高跌倒风险的老年患者功能丧失（p<0.001）。
周围性前庭障碍老年患者的身体平衡与功能能力之间存在正相关，即平衡越好，个体的功能能力越好。此外，功能能力越差会增加个体跌倒的风险。
