Hiroki Aoki^1,, Shinichi Demura², Narihito Taima³, Yoshinori Nagasawa⁴, Toshiro Sato⁵

To date, few tests have been developed to accurately assess the fall avoidance capability of people. This study aimed to examine reliability, gender difference, and relationships among instruction patterns of the fall avoidance test in middle-aged and elderly people. The subjects comprised of 60 males and 55 females. The touch and step sheets corresponding to the computer screen were placed 10 cm in front and the instruction was demonstrated continuously, randomly displaying a tempo of 30 bpm. Each sheet had to be touched or quickly stepped on depending on the instruction. Three combinations of instruction patterns, which displayed the touch and step six times each, were used. Three trials were performed for each pattern, and the total time of 12 consecutive reaction times was calculated. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of two approximate values within three trials was very high, demonstrating values ranging from 0.892 to 0.985 in each pattern. The result of the two-way ANOVA (gender x instructed pattern) showed no significant interaction or main effects. The total time of each two instruction patterns mutually showed very high correlation (0.818–0.892) and also a total time of the three patterns (0.931–0.959). Overall, the newly developed fall avoidance test for middle-aged and elderly people has high reliability and no gender difference. The use of the two instruction patterns is appropriate considering the physical burden of the elderly.

touch, step, reaction time, elderly