Postural stability, risk of falls and fear of falling in elderly with diabetic neuropathy who do therapeutic exercises

This study aimed to analyze postural stability, the risk of falls and fear of falling in elderly with diabetic neuropathy (DNP) that perform therapeutic exercises. The authors conducted the screening of elderly patients with DNP using the instruments Neuropathy Symptom Score (NSS) and the Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS). The 50 selected patients were divided into two groups: 24 of G1 (who were performing therapeutic exercises) and 26 of G2 (the control group). To assess postural stability, risk of falls and fear of falling among groups used the pressure platform, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES-I). There was no significant difference in the outcome of BBS scales (p=0.16) and FES-I (p=0.15) between the G1 and G2; by the pressure platform, we found differences between G1 and G2 in parameters path length (PL) and stability medio-lateral (ML), with both eyes closed (EC). Elderly people with DNP who perform therapeutic exercise have better stability and ML and PL with EC that sedentary elderly; however, there was no association with therapeutic exercise, risk of falls and fear of falling.

本研究旨在分析进行康复训练的老年糖尿病神经病变（DNP）患者姿势稳定性、跌倒风险及跌倒恐惧。研究者采用神经病变症状评分（NSS）和神经病变功能障碍评分（NDS）对老年DNP患者进行筛选。选取的50名患者被分为两组：G1组（进行康复训练者，共24人）和G2组（对照组，共26人）。为评估两组患者的姿势稳定性、跌倒风险及跌倒恐惧，研究者使用了压力平台、贝格尔平衡量表（BBS）和跌倒效能量表（FES-I）。G1组和G2组在BBS量表（p=0.16）和FES-I（p=0.15）的结局上无显著差异；通过压力平台，我们发现G1组和G2组在双眼闭合（EC）状态下的路径长度（PL）和稳定性中侧（ML）参数上存在差异。进行康复训练的老年DNP患者相较于久坐的老年人群，表现出更佳的稳定性和中侧稳定性以及双眼闭合状态下的路径长度；然而，康复训练与跌倒风险及跌倒恐惧之间并无显著关联。