RESEARCH REPORT POSTER DISPLAY

THE EFFECT OF COGNITIVE TASK ON THE TIMED UP & GO IN ORTHOPEDIC OUTPATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT A FALL HISTORY. Asai T^1-3, Maekawa T^2,3; ¹Faculty of Rehabilitation, Kobegakuin university. ²Graduate School of Health Science, Kobe University School of Medicine. ³Kita orthopedic Clinic

PURPOSE: Previous studies have shown that dual task paradigm is useful to assess a risk of falls. In this study, we examined the effect of a concurrent cognitive task on the Timed up & Go (Dual task TUG) performance in orthopedic outpatients with and without a fall history. RELEVANCE: Dual task-related changes in TUG may be useful to assess a risk of falls. PARTICIPANTS: 32 women in orthopedic outpatients participated in this study. Nineteen with no fall history (mean age=77.4 years) and 13 with a history of one or more falls in the previous year (mean age=80 years). Cognitive function was assessed by Mini Mental State Examination and all subjects scored 25 points or more. Subjects who required a cane or other walking aids were excluded. METHODS: Time taken to perform TUG (single task condition) and TUG with verbal backward counting (dual task condition) was measured using a stop watch. ANALYSIS: The TUG times under single and dual task condition were compared using paired t-test. Furthermore, group comparison was performed for the TUG time difference(Dual TUG – Single TUG) by ANOVA. The significant level was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the time taken to perform TUG between single task condition and dual task condition(11.3 sec vs. 14.9 sec, t=7.608, p < 0.05). Fallers showed significantly longer TUG time difference than non-fallers (4.87 sec vs. 2.67 sec, F=6.213, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: For both groups, a concurrent cognitive task increased the time taken to complete the TUG, with the greatest effect in the othopedic patients with a fall history. IMPLICATIONS: Prospective studies are needed to determine whether dual task TUG predicts falls in orthopedic outpatients clinics. KEYWORDS: Timed up & go, Dual task, Fall. FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: None. CONTACT: asai@reha.kobegakuin.ac.jp