Revue médicale de Bruxelles
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Fear of falling and poor physical performance are prominent symptoms in many older people. The prevalence of fear of falling in community-living elderly ranges between 12 % and 65 %, and is higher in women than men. It commonly occurs after falls, but it also occurs without a previous fall history. ⋯ The consequences of this pattern may, however, be debilitating and devastating. Excessive fear and avoidance may compromise the quality of life, and may result in a decline of physical capabilities and, ultimately, in an increased risk of falls, which may further fuel fear and avoidance. Future research should investigate whether individualised intervention strategies are efficient in preventing falls and activity-related fear of falling within this population in order to improve her quality of life.