Balance Impairment and Falls Risk in People With Lower Limb Arthritis, and Can These be Improved With Exercise?

Which Measures of Balance Best Discriminate Balance Impairment and Falls Risk in People With Lower Limb Arthritis, and Can These be Improved With Exercise?

Arthritis has been reported as a risk factor for falls. Few studies have investigated the effect of balance training on balance performance in women with lower limb arthritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a four-month individualised home exercise programme in improving gait stability and balance for women with arthritis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Lower limb osteoarthritis or lower limb rheumatoid arthritis

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants were excluded if they:

• Did not have lower limb arthritis,
• Were bed bound,
• Had additional co-morbidities that confer risk of falls (such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, history of cardiac syncope, epilepsy),
• Had undergone lower limb surgery within the previous twelve months, and/or
• Had synvisc or a corticosteroid injection within the last six months.