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Fall Risk in Adults Over 65: The Relevance of Morphological and Functional Lower Limb Asymmetries. (ASY&FALL)

keskiviikko 29. heinäkuuta 2026 päivittänyt: I.R.C.C.S Ospedale Galeazzi-Sant'Ambrogio

Fall-risk Prevention in Adults Over 65: the Relevance of Morphological and Functional Asymmetries of the Lower Limbs.

Falls among older adults represent a major public health burden. Approximately 30% of individuals aged 65 and older experience at least one fall each year. These events can lead not only to increased anxiety, depression, and reduced quality of life but also to serious injuries or even death. Key risk factors include muscle weakness, gait disturbances, and balance impairments. Lower limb asymmetry-referring to differences in strength, flexibility, composition, or functional capacity between the two legs-has emerged as a potentially important yet underexplored contributor to fall risk in the elderly population. While asymmetry is frequently studied in the context of sports and physical performance, where it may affect both injury risk and athletic outcomes, its implications for balance and mobility in older adults remain insufficiently investigated. This study aims to examine the relationship between lower limb asymmetries and fall risk, with the goal of identifying predictive indicators and informing the development of more effective fall prevention strategies. Ultimately, a better understanding of this relationship could contribute to improved quality of life for older adults and a reduction in healthcare costs associated with fall-related hospitalizations.

Tutkimuksen yleiskatsaus

Tila

Rekrytointi

Ehdot

Opintotyyppi

Havainnollistava

Ilmoittautuminen (Arvioitu)

Yhteystiedot ja paikat

Tässä osiossa on tutkimuksen suorittajien yhteystiedot ja tiedot siitä, missä tämä tutkimus suoritetaan.

Opiskelupaikat

Italia
- Milan
  - Milan, Milan, Italia
    - Rekrytointi
    - IRCCS Ospedale Galeazzi-Sant'Ambrogio
    - Ottaa yhteyttä:
      
      Stefano Borghi, Md
      
      Puhelinnumero: 0283502246
      
      Sähköposti: stefano.borghi@grupposandonato.it

Osallistumiskriteerit

Tutkijat etsivät ihmisiä, jotka sopivat tiettyyn kuvaukseen, jota kutsutaan kelpoisuuskriteereiksi. Joitakin esimerkkejä näistä kriteereistä ovat henkilön yleinen terveydentila tai aiemmat hoidot.

Kelpoisuusvaatimukset

Opintokelpoiset iät

Vanhempi Aikuinen

Hyväksyy terveitä vapaaehtoisia

Joo

Näytteenottomenetelmä

Ei-todennäköisyysnäyte

Tutkimusväestö

Men and women between the ages of 65 yr, able to walk without assistance, lived independently, and had no major cardiovascular, muscular, skeletal or neurological conditions participated in the study.

Kuvaus

Inclusion Criteria:

Male or female, of any ethnicity.
Age ≥ 65 years.
Cognitively intact.
Independent ambulation.
Signed and accepted informed consent to participate in all procedures required for the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

Previous surgical treatments for orthopedic conditions performed within the six months prior to study inclusion.
Severe cardiac, pulmonary, or musculoskeletal disorders that may influence the assessment outcomes.
Comorbidities associated with increased fall risk, such as Parkinson's disease or stroke.
Body Mass Index ≥ 30.0.
Use of medications that affect motor coordination, balance, or bone and muscle metabolism.
Active oncological disease.

Opintosuunnitelma

Tässä osiossa on tietoja tutkimussuunnitelmasta, mukaan lukien kuinka tutkimus on suunniteltu ja mitä tutkimuksella mitataan.

Miten tutkimus on suunniteltu?

Suunnittelun yksityiskohdat

Mitä tutkimuksessa mitataan?

Ensisijaiset tulostoimenpiteet

Tulosmittaus	Toimenpiteen kuvaus	Aikaikkuna
Timed Up and Go (TUG) test Aikaikkuna: At baseline	A functional mobility test measuring dynamic balance and gait efficiency. Participants stand up from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn, return, and sit; longer times indicate higher fall risk.	At baseline
5-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test (5-rep STS) Aikaikkuna: At baseline	A lower-limb strength and functional performance test. Participants rise from a chair five times as quickly as possible; slower performance reflects reduced strength and increased fall risk.	At baseline
Balance test Aikaikkuna: At baseline	balance assessment is conducted using Baiobit equipment from BTS Bioengineering. The maximal balance time in monopodalic will be considered (s)	At baseline

Toissijaiset tulostoimenpiteet

Tulosmittaus	Toimenpiteen kuvaus	Aikaikkuna
Response time assessment Aikaikkuna: At baseline	A visual reaction-time assessment using programmable light pods. Participants respond as quickly as possible to randomly illuminated targets by tapping them, allowing measurement of response time, decision speed, and stimulus-reaction efficiency. Shorter reaction times indicate better neuromotor responsiveness, while longer delays may reflect reduced processing speed and increased fall-risk vulnerability.	At baseline
Gait Analysis Aikaikkuna: At baseline	A biomechanical assessment of walking performance using motion-capture technology. Spatiotemporal parameters (e.g., step length, gait speed, foot clearance) are recorded to evaluate dynamic stability, movement symmetry, and functional mobility, providing objective indicators associated with fall risk in older adults.	At baseline
Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) Aikaikkuna: At baseline	A self-reported measure of habitual physical activity. It quantifies weekly frequency and duration of walking, moderate activity, and vigorous activity, providing an estimate of overall activity level relevant to mobility and fall risk.	At baseline
Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) Aikaikkuna: At baseline	A validated questionnaire assessing fear of falling and confidence in performing daily activities. Higher scores indicate greater concern about falling, which is associated with reduced mobility and increased fall risk.	At baseline
SARC-F questionnaire Aikaikkuna: At baseline	A screening tool for sarcopenia evaluating strength, assistance in walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and fall history. Higher scores reflect impaired physical function and greater vulnerability to falls.	At baseline
fall risk questionnaire (FRQ) Aikaikkuna: At baseline	"The Fall Risk Questionnaire (FRQ) is a validated self-assessment tool. It has demonstrated good ability to identify older adults at risk of falling and to increase awareness of fall risk within this population.	At baseline
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) Aikaikkuna: At baseline	Gold-standard method for assessing body composition. By using two X-ray energy levels, DEXA provides detailed information on bone mineral content, lean mass, and fat mass.	At baseline
Strength Assessment Aikaikkuna: At baseline	Bilateral knee and ankle flexor and extensor strength is assessed using a pressure-based dynamometer. The protocol includes the measurement of Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC, N). All force signals are sampled at high frequency and processed through filtering and normalization procedures to ensure accurate extraction of mechanical parameters.	At baseline
Power assessment Aikaikkuna: At baseline	Bilateral knee and ankle flexor and extensor power is assessed using a pressure-based dynamometer. The protocol includes the measurement of Rate of Force Development (RFD, kg/s through standardized isometric contractions. All force signals are sampled at high frequency and processed through filtering and normalization procedures to ensure accurate extraction of mechanical parameters.	At baseline
High-Density Surface electromyography Assessment (HD-sEMG) Aikaikkuna: At baseline	Neuromuscular activity of the knee and ankle flexor and extensor are evaluated using high-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG) with the Sessantaquattro+ system (OTBioelettronica). The electrode matrices allow spatially detailed mapping of muscle activation. EMG signals undergo preprocessing including filtering, artifact removal, and time-alignment with strength trials to provide an integrated characterization of neuromuscular function.	At baseline
Dominance test (Step-Up Test) Aikaikkuna: At baseline	This test identifies lower-limb dominance by observing which limb the participant naturally uses first when stepping onto a raised platform.	At baseline
Dominance test (Kicking Test) Aikaikkuna: At baseline	This test determines limb dominance based on the leg used to kick a ball or target. The dominant lower limb is the one the participant naturally selects for kicking.	At baseline
Dominance test (Balance Recovery Test) Aikaikkuna: At baseline	This test identifies dominance by evaluating which limb the participant relies on to regain stability after a perturbation. The dominant limb is typically the one that steps first when balance is unexpectedly challenged.	At baseline

Yhteistyökumppanit ja tutkijat

Täältä löydät tähän tutkimukseen osallistuvat ihmiset ja organisaatiot.

Sponsori

I.R.C.C.S Ospedale Galeazzi-Sant'Ambrogio

Opintojen ennätyspäivät

Nämä päivämäärät seuraavat ClinicalTrials.gov-sivustolle lähetettyjen tutkimustietueiden ja yhteenvetojen edistymistä. National Library of Medicine (NLM) tarkistaa tutkimustiedot ja raportoidut tulokset varmistaakseen, että ne täyttävät tietyt laadunvalvontastandardit, ennen kuin ne julkaistaan julkisella verkkosivustolla.

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