Association between Physical Functioning and Fear of Falling with Balance in Elderly Diabetic Individuals

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent metabolic disease, particularly in the elderly population. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), the most common complication, is present in up to half of the people with diabetes, leading to sensory and autonomic motor impairment, and possibly increasing the risk of falling. DM is also associated with geriatric conditions falls, incontinence, low body mass index, dizziness, vision, hearing and cognitive impairments and dependence on activities of daily living. Balance is one of the major factors which associated with falls in the elderly population. Diabetes in addition may cause further damage to the nervous system thereby resulting in impaired balance leading to increased risk of falls. It is essential to investigate relationship between balances and falls in diabetic individuals. Material and methods: After getting approval from institutional ethical committee, 100 elderly patients (50 diabetics and 50 non-diabetics) were examined for balance. Mini mental status examination, body mass index, berg balance scale, modified falls efficacy scale, time up and go test was taken. For balance assessment Berg Balance Scale is used to test static and dynamic balance it includes 14 balance related task. For functional mobility assessment Timed up and go test is used and requires both static and dynamic balance. For falls assessment Modified falls efficacy scale is used. It has a 14 activity questionnaire. Result: In diabetic subjects mean and standard deviation for MMSE 28.2+1.799 and for non-diabetic 29.2+1.3, BBS non-diabetic 51.9+6.22 and for diabetic 46.2+9.04, MFES non-diabetic 9.96+0.28 and diabetic 9.92+0.39, tug test non-diabetic 9.42+1.17 and for diabetic 10.8+1.82. So here, correlation between balance, functional mobility and falls are assessed. In correlation test it was noted that in diabetic mellitus subjects there is a positive correlation between berg balance scale and modified falls efficacy scale. In non-diabetic subjects there is negative correlation between berg balance scale and modified falls efficacy scale. In diabetic subjects there positive correlation in modified falls efficacy scale and timed up and go test. In non-diabetic mellitus subjects there is negative correlation between modified falls efficacy scale and timed up and go test. In diabetic mellitus subjects, there is positive correlation between Body mass index and berg balance scale, modified falls efficacy scale and timed up and go test. In non-diabetic mellitus subjects, there is negative correlation between body mass index and modified falls efficacy scale, timed up and go test, berg balance scale. Conclusion: From the study it is concluded that there is significant correlation between BMI balance and functional mobility and perception about fall with the help of modified falls efficacy scale.