Does the Coronal and Sagittal Posture Affect the Risk of Falling in Older Adults with Pain?

Purpose: Fall risk in older adults is linked to poor posture and pain, often focusing on sagittal alignment. This study examines the combined impact of coronal and sagittal posture on fall risk in individuals with pain. Materials and Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study included 146 adults aged 65+ with pain, selected from 479 screened. Participants were categorized as fallers or non-fallers. Data collected included posture (sagittal, coronal, total), pain details, demographics, comorbidities, medication use, timed up-and-go test, Berg balance scale, four-step square test, and number of falls. Analyses used Mann-Whitney U, chi-square, univariate, and multivariate regression models. Results: Of the 146 participants, 58% had a history of falls, and 71% were females. Neck pain was reported by 28% of participants, knee pain by 39%, and low back pain by 33%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Berg balance score and total posture score were independently associated with falls (odds ratio 0.8, and 0.9, respectively). This indicated that for every one-unit increase in the Berg score and total posture score, the odds of a fall decreased by about 20% and 10%, respectively. Conclusion: The study results indicated that assessing the total posture, not just the sagittal posture is crucial when evaluating the risk of falls in older adults. Furthermore, the Berg test proved particularly valuable in assessing the risk of falls among older adults experiencing neck, low back, and knee pain.