Fall Risk Factors

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.

Approximately one third of the population over the age of 65 falls at least once a year. The risk of falling is in increased in older patients with tumor diseases. In addition to high treatment and care costs for the healthcare system, falls often lead to a decrease of quality of life, a reduction in physical performance and a loss of independence. Despite the high risk, falls in cancer patients have not yet been scientifically investigated in detail. For patients with multiple myeloma in particular, very little data is available on the prevalence, risk factors and effects of falls. In this study, a fall risk assessment is carried out in patients with multiple myeloma. Furthermore, a patient-specific training intervention for fall prevention will be implemented. The aim of the study is to identify possible fall risk factors in multiple myeloma patients and to establish a structured exercise intervention that minimizes the risk of falls and injuries.

Aging is a condition characterized by a general decline in physical and cognitive performance, however its effects on various functions are still controversial. These changes lead to an increased risk of injuries, particularly due to falls. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report, 28-35% of individuals aged over 65 experience a fall each year, and this percentage increases with age. For this reason, preventing falls among the elderly is undeniably one of the most critical public health issues in today's aging society. Nowadays, it is widely demonstrated that the loss of muscle strength and mass, along with decreased balance, significantly increases the risk of falls. However, with aging, numerous other changes occur that contribute to an increased risk of falls, such as a decline in cognitive function, including attention, reaction capabilities and memory, as well as other factors that worsen the quality of life, such as insufficient sleep or nutrition. According to WHO estimates, by 2030, the number of injuries due to falls will double. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand and analyze the factors contributing to falls among older adults in everyday life. For this reason, the principal aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the fall index and the Visual Attention, Reaction Time and visual field using the technologies of Virtual Reality (VR). Since aging brigs changes in different aspect, the secondary objectives aim to study the correlation also with i) sleep quantity and quality parameters, ii) risk of malnutrition, and iii) physical condition, muscle conditions and strength in order to have a comprehensive understanding of the factors that most contribute to the risk of falls. In addition to these objectives, the correlation between acute sleep deprivation and the risk of falls will also be analyzed, in order to understand how inadequate sleep quantity can impact injuries in the elderly.

The goal of this study is to see if OTAGO instructors, who have been trained in a special communication method called motivational interviewing, can help older adults start and stick with the OTAGO exercise program. The results will help guide future research on how behavior change techniques can support other fall prevention strategies.