INDEPENDENT RESEARCH EXPLAINED
Parkinson’s And Repeated Falls Over Two Years
A prospective study documenting how repeated falling can accumulate over a long period in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Who Carried Out The Research?
M. Matinolli, J. T. Korpelainen, K. A. Sotaniemi, V. V. Myllylä and R. Korpelainen. University of Oulu.
Recurrent falls and mortality in Parkinson's disease: a prospective two-year follow-up study. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 123(3), 193 to 200. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2010.01386.x.
How Was It Studied?
Researchers assessed mobility and balance in 125 people with Parkinson’s disease and recorded falls prospectively for two years. Mortality was assessed separately four years after baseline.
What Did They Find?
Seventy-nine participants reported 3,125 falls, and 59 were classified as recurrent fallers. There were 126 fall injuries, including six fractures. Previous falls and disease severity were associated with recurrent falling.
| People enrolled | 125 |
|---|---|
| People reporting falls | 79 |
| People classified as recurrent fallers | 59 |
| Falls over two years | 3,125 |
| Fall injuries | 126 |
| Fractures | 6 |
Counts describe different outcomes in one Parkinson’s cohort. A fall is not the same as an injury, fracture or hospital admission.
What Does This Mean For Everyday Mobility?
This is a useful answer to the question of whether repeated falling persists over time. A history of falls should lead to a review of the person’s support, activities and environment. Recording near falls and actual falls can help identify changes that matter to daily life.
What Are The Limits?
The indexed abstract does not separate all falls by walking, standing or equipment use. It is condition-specific, not a national estimate. The study did not compare devices or test LifeGlider, and did not find recurrent falling associated with higher mortality in this cohort.
This is Mobility UK’s explanation of independent research. The authors and institutions do not endorse LifeGlider. Findings from different populations, study designs and follow-up periods should not be pooled into a single fall rate.
Read The Original Research
Follow the source links for the researchers’ own wording and methods. The indexed abstract is publicly available; publisher access and download conditions may vary.
We explain the findings in our own words and retain the original attribution. The paper and its figures have not been republished under our branding.