Patients Who Perceive Their Balance and Overall Health as Poor Will Walk Less
ALEXANDRIA, VA, December 19, 2008 — New research out of the
University of Pittsburgh indicates that patients' perceptions of their
own health and balance have an impact on how much they walk. The study
was originally published in Physical Therapy (December 2008), the
scientific journal of the American Physical Therapy Association
(APTA).
"The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the
simultaneous impact of psychological factors--health perception and
balance perception--and physiological factors--gait speed, fall history
and balance performance--on walking activity in older adults," said the
study's lead researcher and APTA spokesperson, Jaime B Talkowski, PT,
PhD, a Research Associate and Instructor at the University at the time
of this study. "What was surprising to us was learning that health and
balance perception were significantly related to walking activity --
more so than fall history or balance performance." Participants who
perceived their overall health and balance to be good (63%) walked more
blocks per week than those who thought one factor was good and the other
was poor (26%). Those participants who perceived both their overall
health and balance to be poor (11%) walked even less. Participants
who walked a normal speed walked more blocks per week than those who
walked at a slow speed.
The study followed 2,269 older adults (age 65+) with a median age of
79.2 years. "This study is significant because it clearly demonstrates
how perception of health and balance can influence how often older
adults exercise," observed Talkowski. "It is important for physical
therapists to ask questions relating to health and balance perception,
as well as health history, during their examination. The more we know
about patients' perception of their health and balance, the better we
can address their issues."
APTA (www.apta.org) is a national organization representing physical
therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students nationwide. Its
goal is to foster advancements in physical therapist education,
practice, and research. Consumers can visit www.findapt.us to find
a physical therapist in their area, as well as www.moveforwardpt.com for physical therapy news and
information.