Correlation between Ankle Range of Motion and Balance in Community - Dwelling Elderly Population

Objective To investigate the relationship between balance measures and ankle range of motion (ROM) in community dwelling elderly population. Methodology 37 subjects (20 females, 17males) with age group of 65-85 years, were screened for any previous medical issues or recent history of falls. Out of this 6 subjects were excluded and for rest 31 further examination was done. Balance was measured using Functional Reach Test (FRT) while ankle ROM was measured with goniometer, both actively and passively. Result The mean age group of the study was (71.65 + 5.701). There was a high correlation between active ankle ROM and balance measure (r=0.717, p=0.001) Conclusion This study shows that reduced ankle ROM affects balance measures as age advances, leading to falls and life dependency. Henceforth, future studies pertaining to intervention and treatment efficacy may be suggested which may have an influence on reducing falls in elderly.