Dual Tasks and Risk of Fall Among Different Saudi Female Specialties: A randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare between scientific and theoretic female students when performing dual tasks while maintaining their balance during movement. Design: Single blind, randomized control trial. Setting: Physical Therapy department, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia . Subjects: Female students, ages from 18 to 25 years, eighty-six from scientific colleges and forty-one from theoretic college, within different specialties. Instrumentation: The balance system SD includes a comprehensive fall risk screening & conditioning program and protocol to help a clinician begin a fall program. Methods: A pre-test post-test design was carried out on 127 female subjects. The subjects were divided into two groups according to their specialty, scientific (Sc) and Theoretic (Th) group. A biodex balance system is used to measure fall risk index before and during dual-tasks performance with three trials to each test. Results: Regarding the statistical results of subjects within normal BMI, there was no significant difference (P˃0.05) in pre and post-test of fall risk index in the (Sc) group, a significant difference (P≤0.05) has been shown in pre and post-test of fall risk index in the (Th) group. Also, there was no statistical significant was found in comparing both groups in pre-test and post-test fall risk index. Conclusion: It can be concluded that students who studied in (Sc) college has better ability to maintain their balance during performing dual-tasks, more than students who studied in (Th) college.