SONGKLANAKARIN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Volume 42, No. 02, Month MARCH, Year 2020, Pages 346 - 352

Coordination performance and falls history among elderly with mild cognitive impairment

Suphanan Puengtanom, Viwat Puttawanchai, Plaiwan Suttanon

Abstract Download PDF

The objectives of the study were to compare coordination and falls history between elderly subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and without MCI and to determine the correlation between coordination and falls among the elderly with MCI. The recruited participants were 28 elderly people with MCI and 28 elderly people without MCI. Falls and coordination measured by the Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT) and Foot Tapping (FT) were investigated. Significant differences were found in coordination measured by the NHPT and FT between the elderly participants with and without MCI. Higher numbers of fallers were found in the group of participants with MCI compared with the other group. Coordination measured by FT was significantly correlated with falls history in the MCI group. Declining coordination could be one factor contributing to falls in a population compared to elderly people without MCI. Foot Tapping should be included as a routine assessment for individuals with MCI.

Keywords

coordination, falls, elderly, mild cognitive impairment

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