Análise da relação entre o equilíbrio corporal e risco de quedas em idosos de um projeto social

Abstract

The number of older people worldwide is growing every year. It is an important factor for further studies with this population. Balance is an associated capacity with the occurrence of falls and functional mobility of the elderly. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between body balance and risk of falls with sociodemographic variables and time of participation of elderly participants of CONVIVER project through the Tinetti Balance Test (Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment - POMA) and the Timed Up and Go (TUG). The study pointed to a cross-sectional observational design of a quantitative nature, and sample of 45 elderly people, among them 29 women and 16 men, aged between 65 and 90 years, assisted by CONVIVER project in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará. We analyzed the relationship of balance and the risk of falls, with sociodemographic variables: gender, age and length of participation of older people in the project, for which it was concluded that among the variables established, age, showed a positive relationship (p * 0.026 Tinetti test) with risk of falling and loss of functional balance. The other variables (sex, time of participation) affected independently. However the tests applied showed significant percentages ranging from meetings to findings in the literature. The balance is directly associated with falls, mobility and functional capacity of the elderly peolple.