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Falls in people with multiple sclerosis: experiences of 115 fall situations
Örebro University, School of Medical Sciences. University Health Care Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2598-2317
Örebro University, School of Health Sciences. Örebro University Hospital. Department of Physiotherapy.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6768-5740
Örebro University, School of Health Sciences. Örebro University Hospital. (Health Care Management)ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9760-3785
2018 (English)In: Clinical Rehabilitation, ISSN 0269-2155, E-ISSN 1477-0873, Vol. 32, no 4, p. 526-535Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Objectives: The aim was to describe falls and the perceived causes, experienced by people with multiple sclerosis shortly after falling.

Design: A qualitative study using content analysis and quantitative data to illustrate where and why people report falls most commonly. Semi-structured telephone interviews were performed. Interviews were conducted shortly (0–10 days) after a fall.

Subjects: In all, 67 informants who had reported at least one fall during the previous three-month period and who used a walking aid participated.

Results: A total of 57 (85%) informants fell at least once during eight months resulting in 115 falls; 90 (78%) falls happened indoors, most commonly in the kitchen (n = 20; 17%) or bathroom (n = 16; 14%). Informants fell during everyday activities and walking aids had been used in more than a third of the reported falls. The falls were influenced of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Two categories emerged from the analysis: ‘activities when falling’ and ‘influencing factors’. The category contained three (basic activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living and leisure and work) and six (multiple sclerosis–related symptoms, fluctuating body symptoms, being distracted, losing body control, challenging surrounding and involvement of walking aid) subcategories, respectively.

Conclusion: The majority of falls occurs indoors and in daily activities. Several factors interacted in fall situations and should be monitored and considered to reduce the gap between the person’s capacity and the environmental demands that cause fall risk. Fluctuation of bodily symptoms between and within a day is a variable not earlier targeted in multiple sclerosis fall risk research.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Sage Publications, 2018. Vol. 32, no 4, p. 526-535
Keywords [en]
Accidental falls, multiple sclerosis, walking aid, content analysis
National Category
Neurology Physiotherapy
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-65948DOI: 10.1177/0269215517730597ISI: 000429777600011PubMedID: 28901164Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85042230415OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-65948DiVA, id: diva2:1192264
Available from: 2018-03-22 Created: 2018-03-22 Last updated: 2025-02-11Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Impaired balance and fall risk in people with multiple sclerosis
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Impaired balance and fall risk in people with multiple sclerosis
2018 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The symptoms from the neurological disease multiple sclerosis vary from person to person and over time. Impaired balance is common in people with multiple sclerosis and can lead to falls. Fall frequency is high in people with multiple sclerosis, above 50%. Multiple sclerosis affects not only the person having the disease but also their next of kin. To be able to reduce fall risk it is important to know when, why and where people with multiple sclerosis fall, and how to improve balance and reduce falls with exercise. It is also important to know how the falls affect the residing next of kin to people with multiple sclerosis.

The overall aim of this thesis was to gain enhanced knowledge by investigating when and why people with MS fall and how these falls possibly affect their next of kin, and also to evaluate the effects and perceptions of participating in a specific balance exercise.

Data were gathered using four different data collections, and this thesis contains both qualitative and quantitative data.

The major finding in this thesis is that people with multiple sclerosis fall in the course of everyday life activities, most often in their own homes due to various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Balance can be improved and falls reduced and everyday life may be made easier and facilitated after participating in the CoDuSe balance exercise. This is important also for the next of kin, since they are adapting, adjusting and renouncing their activities due to the falls of the PwMS, in order to make it work for the whole family.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Örebro: Örebro University, 2018. p. 94
Series
Örebro Studies in Medicine, ISSN 1652-4063 ; 184
Keywords
Balance, exercise, falls, falls efficacy, gait, multiple sclerosis, next of kin, physiotherapy, qualitative research, randomized controlled trial
National Category
General Practice
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-68025 (URN)978-91-7529-263-2 (ISBN)
Public defence
2018-11-16, Örebro universitet, Campus USÖ, hörsal C3, Södra Grev Rosengatan 32, Örebro, 09:00 (Swedish)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2018-07-23 Created: 2018-07-23 Last updated: 2018-12-10Bibliographically approved

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Carling, AnnaForsberg, AnetteNilsagård, Ylva

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