Original Research Article
Year: 2023 | Month: May | Volume: 13 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 43-48
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20230506
A Study to Find Out the Correlation Between Physical Activity, Reaction Time, and Fall Risk in the Elderly
Dr Hiral Vala1, Dr Rajesh Padnani2, Dr Sweta Dave3, Dr Pooja Cheta4, Dr Grishma Zalavadiya5
1,3,4,5MPT scholars, S.Y. MPT, SHRI K K SHETH PHYSIOTHERAPY COLLEGE, Rajkot, Gujarat, India
2Professor at SHRI K K SHETH PHYSIOTHERAPY COLLEGE, Rajkot, Gujarat, India
Corresponding Author: Dr Hiral Vala
ABSTRACT
Background: Regular physical activity can bring significant health benefits to people of all ages, especially among the elderly. Physical Activity make a person independent for the later stage of life. Reaction time is the time it takes to react to a stimulus which is necessary for many daily activities. Each year 3 million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries. This is a major risk problem that leads to further complications in this population. so the study aims to evaluate the association between physical activity , reaction time, and fall risk among this population.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study of 140 elderly of age group between 65-80 years was conducted at various the area of Rajkot city and the around it old age homes and individuals responded to physical activity by physical activity scale for elderly (PASE) , reaction time measured by RULAR DROP test and fall risk measured by POMA.
Result: Pearson correlation co-efficient was used for analysis which showed that physical activity had a strong correlation with fall risk and also with reaction time . this fall risk and reaction time are also strongly correlated with each other.
Conclusion: physical activity is strongly associated with reaction time and fall risk. so the physiotherapy intervention for this group of the population should focus on the improve physical activity which improves the reaction time and this leads to reducing the risk of falls.
Key words: Elderly, Fall Risk, Fall Prevention, Physical Activity, Reaction Time.