Revisiting the Instrumented Romberg Test: Can Today's Technology Offer a Risk-of-Fall Screening Device for Senior Citizens? An Experience-Based Approach.

Michele Gallamini,Simonetta Lucarini,Alessio Pirino,Debora Porzio,Lucrezia Tognolo,Stefano Masiero,Fabio Scoppa,Giorgio Piastra,Matteo Ronchi

doi:10.3390/life11020161

Michele Gallamini, Simonetta Lucarini + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/life11020161

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Abstract

Risk of fall (ROF) is a worldwide major concern for its prevalence and consequent dramatic outcomes in the elderly population. The growing age-related risk appears to be associated with increasing motor, sensory, and cognitive problems in the elderly population. There is a consensus on the need to screen for these balance dysfunctions, but the available methods are largely based on subjectively assessed performances. The instrumented Romberg test using a force plate represents a validated assessment process for the evaluation of balance performances. The purpose of this study is to propose an innovative instrumental method to identify balance deficits, assess their severity, and give an automated indication of the most likely etiology. The proposed new method was applied to the instrumented Romberg test, using force plate data recorded in a cohort of 551 females aged >65 participating in adapted physical activity courses. The method allowed us to identify 145 dysfunctional subjects and to determine the likely origin of their deficit: 21 central, 5 vestibular, 9 visual, 59 proprioceptive (musculoskeletal etiology), and 51 functional. Based on the preliminary findings of the study, this test could be an efficient and cost-effective mass screening tool for identifying subjects at risk of fall, since the procedure proves to be rapid, non-invasive, and apparently devoid of any contraindications.

Highlights

Risk of Fall (ROF) is a worldwide problem due to its social and healthcare implications.In the European Countries (EC), balance deficits are an ongoing health concern, and the main risk factor for potentially fatal falls in the elderly population
The present paper proposes a new version of the well-known Romberg test, peron a force plate in order to identify subjects with balance deficits but apparently good formed on a force plate in order to identify subjects with balance deficits but apparently functional status, while providing information on the likely type of deficit
(closed eyes) with a density: mean values are remarkably close to correlation R2 = 0.8977; mean spatial distance = 3.3916 ×−0.831 normal values.with

Summary

Introduction

Risk of Fall (ROF) is a worldwide problem due to its social and healthcare implications. In the European Countries (EC), balance deficits are an ongoing health concern, and the main risk factor for potentially fatal falls in the elderly population. Data published in 2015 by the Prevention of Falls Network for Dissemination initiative (ProFouND) and the EuroSafe injury prevention association [1] clearly shows the gravity of the issue: out of a population of 100 Mn individuals, 36,000 fatal injuries due to falls were recorded that year, 4.0/). EuroSafe injury prevention association [1] clearly shows the gravity of the issue: out of a population of 100 Mn individuals, 36,000 fatal injuries due to falls were recorded that year, and 2.3 Mn individuals were hospitalized. Fall prevention is and has been and 2.3 Mn individuals were hospitalized. Fall prevention is and has been one of the EC priorities in various funding programs, including the Horizon 2020

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