Using mobile technology to assess balance during a sit-to-stand maneuver among older adults with fall risk: A pilot study

Older adults age ≥65 are susceptible to balance impairment with subsequent reduced mobility and increased fall risk. Orthostatic hypotension or blood pressure drop with standing is a treatable condition associated with loss of balance and falls. To understand this phenomenon, the current project used an Android® device attached to participants' center of mass to determine body sway during a simple sit-to-stand maneuver, while researchers assessed participants' sitting and standing blood pressure and symptomology of dizziness. Analysis of study data from two older adult participants are presented illustrating the applicability for future development of a measure to assess balance during simple movements. The next step in the authors' research trajectory is to analyze larger samples using other computations of data provided by the inertial measurement unit sensing technology.