The Predictive Capacity of the 3-Meter Backward Walk Test for Falls in Older Adults: A Case-Control Analysis.

IF 2.5 Q1 SPORT SCIENCES
Luis Polo-Ferrero, Javier Torres-Alonso, María Carmen Sánchez-Sánchez, Ana Silvia Puente-González, Fausto J Barbero-Iglesias, Roberto Méndez-Sánchez
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Abstract

Background: The early detection of fall risk in older adults is crucial for prevention. This study assessed the 3-Meter Backward Walk Test (3m-BWT) as a predictor of falls. Methods: A retrospective observational case-control study was conducted with 483 community-dwelling participants (mean age 76.3 ± 6.5 years), including 101 individuals with a history of falls in the previous 12 months. A standardized battery of functional assessments was applied. Results: Significant differences were observed between fallers and non-fallers across all functional variables (p < 0.001), with fallers demonstrating slower performance on the 3m-BWT (6.8 ± 3.4 s vs. 5.1 ± 1.3 s). The 3m-BWT showed moderate correlations with Short Physical Performance Battery, 5-repetition Sit-to-Stand, gait speed, and 4-Square Step Test, and a moderate-to-strong correlation with Timed Up-and-Go (r = 0.632), even after adjusting for age, sex, and BMI. Although the 3m-BWT exhibited superior discriminative ability compared to other tests (AUC = 0.655), its predictive power in isolation remains limited. The optimal cut-off point was identified at 5.5 s (sensitivity: 59.5%; specificity: 68.6%), while a threshold of <3.5 s yielded high sensitivity (98%) but low specificity, supporting its use in fall risk screening. Conclusions: These findings support the integration of the 3m-BWT as a complementary tool within comprehensive geriatric assessments, particularly in contexts requiring high sensitivity. Given the multifactorial nature of falls, combining the 3m-BWT with other clinical evaluations and fall history is recommended to enhance risk stratification and inform preventive strategies.

3米后退步行试验对老年人跌倒的预测能力:一项病例对照分析。
背景:早期发现老年人跌倒风险对预防至关重要。这项研究评估了3米后退行走测试(3m-BWT)作为跌倒的预测因子。方法:对483名社区居民(平均年龄76.3±6.5岁)进行回顾性观察性病例对照研究,其中101人在过去12个月内有跌倒史。采用了一系列标准化的功能评估。结果:在所有功能变量上,跌倒者和非跌倒者之间存在显著差异(p < 0.001),跌倒者在3m-BWT上表现较慢(6.8±3.4秒比5.1±1.3秒)。即使在调整了年龄、性别和BMI之后,3m-BWT与短时间体能测试、5次重复坐立、步态速度和4平方步测试显示出中等相关性,与Timed Up-and-Go显示出中等至强相关性(r = 0.632)。虽然3m-BWT的判别能力优于其他检验(AUC = 0.655),但其单独的预测能力仍然有限。最佳分界点为5.5 s(灵敏度为59.5%;结论:这些发现支持将3m-BWT作为综合老年评估的补充工具,特别是在需要高灵敏度的情况下。考虑到跌倒的多因素性质,建议将3m-BWT与其他临床评估和跌倒史结合起来,以加强风险分层,并为预防策略提供信息。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology
Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology Health Professions-Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
CiteScore
4.20
自引率
0.00%
发文量
94
审稿时长
12 weeks
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