Strength, Power and Electromyographic Performance of Hip Musculature in Older Female Fallers and Non-fallers

Falling is a serious problem in the elderly, mainly due to its negative impact on the quality of life of this population and increased public health costs (Bento et al. 2010). The etiology of falls is multifactorial, so developing a broad understanding of the biomechanical and physiological factors associated with increased risk of falling in the elderly is extremely important (LaRoche et al. 2010). It is known that the weakness of hip muscles can challenge balance during gait and impair rapid torque production (Mendis et al. 2009). The neuromuscular performance of the ankle and knee musculature has been well studied in fallers and non-fallers but a comprehensive comparison of hip function is lacking, despite some authors considering it crucial in the prevention of falls (Wert et al. 2010). Thus, this study aimed to compare the neuromuscular capacity of older female fallers and non-fallers during hip flexion, extension, abduction and adduction.