Correlation of Balance and Gait with Mobility in Elderly People - A Cross Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Demographics have shifted with increasing life expectancy that also leads to higher elderly population. The shift in demographics has an important health implication as the aging process is related with declines in health and function. The aim of the study was to correlate balance and gait with mobility in elderly people. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A correlation study was conducted at New Ciivil Hospital where Balance, Gait and Mobility was assessed in 90 subject both males and females. Exclusion criteria were subject with history of participants with balance impairment related to neurological condition, visual impairment and lower and upper limb amputations. Outcome measure included balance& gait measured using Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) and Mobility in elderly individuals by Elderly Mobility Scale (EMS). This study had reported mean ± SD 14.3 ± 2.64 subscales for balance and for gait mean ± SD subscale was 9.9 ± 2.4. Mean ± SD of POMA scale was 24.2 ± 4.8. RESULT: Present study reported association between Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) and Elderly Mobility Scale (EMS) in the elderly people. This finding revealed that elderly people with affected mobility had low POMA and EMS score. It shows that there was a positive correlation between POMA and EMS. CONCLUSION The study concluded that there is a correlation of Balance and Gait with the Mobility in elderly people.