The risk of falling

The risk of falling represents one of the essential elements of the relationship elapsing between osteoporosis and rehabilitation activity. The damage received from the falls represents the sixth cause of death in persons over 65 years old.

The risk factors for falling have been classified in two great groups: intrinsic factors and not intrinsic factors. Between the main intrinsic factors there are the muscular weakness, the deficit of equilibrium and coordination, the deficits of propriocettivity.

Between the not intrinsic factors there are use of some drugs and the lack of security measures in the domestic atmosphere. The bathroom in particular represents the room of a house where there is a greater risk of fall.

The most recent present studies in literature, such as the appraisal of this risk, must be conducted in multi-parametric way. A series of specific semeiological tests exist for the appraisal of some of these risk factors (chair test for the appraisal of the muscular weakness, for example).

This semeiological appraisal can be completed from the data that can be obtained from the administration of FIM scale and ICF classification through the check list in the short form version.