Department of Occupational Therapy Education, School of Health Professions, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA; Mobility Core, University of Kansas Center for Community Access, Rehabilitation Research, Education and Service, Kansas City, KS, USA.
Mobility Core, University of Kansas Center for Community Access, Rehabilitation Research, Education and Service, Kansas City, KS, USA; Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science, and Athletic Training, School of Health Professions, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA; MS Research Collaborative, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2023 May;73:104631. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104631. Epub 2023 Mar 21.
Falls are common among people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use wheelchairs or scooters. Falls may lead to severe consequences including physical injuries. However, very little is known about the circumstances associated with injurious falls in this population. Therefore, we aimed to explore the differences in fall-related characteristics between injurious and non-injurious falls among people with MS who use wheelchairs or scooters.
A convenience sample of 48 people with MS (age = 62.0 [13.0] years, gender = 81.3% female, primary mobility aid = power wheelchair) completed a fall-history survey that examined the characteristics and consequences of their most recent fall. Participants also completed standard questionnaires on quality of life, community participation, and fear of falling.
Most falls (85.4%) reported by participants occurred inside the house. Twelve (25.0%) participants reported experiencing fall-related injuries such as bruises, cuts, muscle strains, and fractures. People who reported being injured after a fall had a higher proportion of falls that occurred during transfers compared to those who were not injured (n = 10, 83.3% vs n = 17, 47.2%). Most participants (45.8%) did not receive any information from healthcare professionals on how to manage their fall-risk after their fall experience. No differences between injurious and non-injurious fallers in quality of life, community participation, and fear of falling were observed.
This cross-sectional investigation provides compelling evidence that people with MS who use wheelchairs or scooters are at high risk of fall-related injuries. The study findings underscore the importance of increasing health care providers' awareness about the frequency and consequences of falls. Further, it demonstrates the critical need for evidence-based interventions specifically designed to minimize fall-related injuries in this vulnerable population.
多发性硬化症（MS）患者使用轮椅或代步车时经常会摔倒，这可能会导致严重后果，包括身体受伤。然而，对于该人群中与受伤相关的摔倒情况，我们知之甚少。因此，我们旨在探讨使用轮椅或代步车的 MS 患者中与受伤相关的摔倒特征在受伤性摔倒和非受伤性摔倒之间的差异。
一个方便的样本，由 48 名 MS 患者（年龄=62.0[13.0]岁，性别=81.3%女性，主要移动辅助工具=电动轮椅）组成，完成了一项摔倒史调查，调查了他们最近一次摔倒的特征和后果。参与者还完成了关于生活质量、社区参与和跌倒恐惧的标准问卷。
参与者报告的大多数摔倒（85.4%）发生在室内。12 名（25.0%）参与者报告了与摔倒相关的伤害，如瘀伤、割伤、肌肉拉伤和骨折。与未受伤的参与者相比，报告受伤后摔倒的参与者在转移过程中摔倒的比例更高（n=10，83.3% vs n=17，47.2%）。大多数参与者（45.8%）在摔倒后没有从医疗保健专业人员那里获得任何关于如何管理跌倒风险的信息。在生活质量、社区参与和跌倒恐惧方面，未观察到受伤性摔倒者和非受伤性摔倒者之间的差异。
这项横断面研究提供了有力的证据，表明使用轮椅或代步车的 MS 患者有很高的与摔倒相关的受伤风险。研究结果强调了提高医疗保健提供者对摔倒频率和后果的认识的重要性。此外，它表明迫切需要专门为减少这一脆弱人群中与摔倒相关的伤害而设计的基于证据的干预措施。
