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Vestibular asymmetry increases double support time variability in a counter-balanced study on elderly fallers

Larsson, Johan LU orcid ; Miller, Michael LU and Hansson, Eva Ekvall LU (2016) In Gait & Posture 45. p.4-31
Abstract

Vestibular asymmetry is a common cause of dizziness in the elderly, for whom it precipitates the risk of falling. Previous studies have shown that those with vestibular asymmetry displayed an altered variability in double support time (DST) compared to controls. However, swing time (SwT) variability findings are conflicting. In this study, we investigated if vestibular asymmetry might be causally connected to increased DST variability. We studied a group of eight elderly fallers with wrist fractures across three months, during which time four of them regained vestibular symmetry while four others developed an asymmetry. We evaluated the variability of DST and SwT, both when the participants suffered from vestibular asymmetry and when... (More)

Vestibular asymmetry is a common cause of dizziness in the elderly, for whom it precipitates the risk of falling. Previous studies have shown that those with vestibular asymmetry displayed an altered variability in double support time (DST) compared to controls. However, swing time (SwT) variability findings are conflicting. In this study, we investigated if vestibular asymmetry might be causally connected to increased DST variability. We studied a group of eight elderly fallers with wrist fractures across three months, during which time four of them regained vestibular symmetry while four others developed an asymmetry. We evaluated the variability of DST and SwT, both when the participants suffered from vestibular asymmetry and when they did not. On average, variability in DST was significantly greater by 2.38 %CV (coefficient of variation) when participants scored positive for vestibular asymmetry compared to when not, t(5)=4.39, p=0.01, ξ=1.67. In contrast, SwT variability differed non-significantly by 0.44 %CV when participants had tested positive versus negative for vestibular asymmetry, t(5)=-0.87, p=0.39, ξ=-0.29. As a possible rationale for our results, we propose that increased DST variability may be the result of a re-stabilization strategy. Further research on DST variability and its correlation to the duration of vestibular asymmetry is recommended.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Gait & Posture
volume
45
pages
4 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:26979879
  • scopus:84960368167
  • wos:000372510500006
ISSN
1879-2219
DOI
10.1016/j.gaitpost.2015.12.023
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
203da169-65de-4b5b-a20f-c7588e0e12bd
date added to LUP
2016-04-25 16:25:43
date last changed
2024-04-04 18:04:04
@article{203da169-65de-4b5b-a20f-c7588e0e12bd,
  abstract     = {{<p>Vestibular asymmetry is a common cause of dizziness in the elderly, for whom it precipitates the risk of falling. Previous studies have shown that those with vestibular asymmetry displayed an altered variability in double support time (DST) compared to controls. However, swing time (SwT) variability findings are conflicting. In this study, we investigated if vestibular asymmetry might be causally connected to increased DST variability. We studied a group of eight elderly fallers with wrist fractures across three months, during which time four of them regained vestibular symmetry while four others developed an asymmetry. We evaluated the variability of DST and SwT, both when the participants suffered from vestibular asymmetry and when they did not. On average, variability in DST was significantly greater by 2.38 %CV (coefficient of variation) when participants scored positive for vestibular asymmetry compared to when not, t(5)=4.39, p=0.01, ξ=1.67. In contrast, SwT variability differed non-significantly by 0.44 %CV when participants had tested positive versus negative for vestibular asymmetry, t(5)=-0.87, p=0.39, ξ=-0.29. As a possible rationale for our results, we propose that increased DST variability may be the result of a re-stabilization strategy. Further research on DST variability and its correlation to the duration of vestibular asymmetry is recommended.</p>}},
  author       = {{Larsson, Johan and Miller, Michael and Hansson, Eva Ekvall}},
  issn         = {{1879-2219}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{4--31}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Gait & Posture}},
  title        = {{Vestibular asymmetry increases double support time variability in a counter-balanced study on elderly fallers}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2015.12.023}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.gaitpost.2015.12.023}},
  volume       = {{45}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}