Abstract
Objective:
to develop an application for mobile devices to evaluate the balance and risk of falls of the elderly.
Method:
A cross-sectional study with a sample composed of 54 elderly individuals with an average age of 71 years submitted to three balance and risk of falls evaluation tests, was performed. The Timed Up and Go (TUG) and Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) tests were employed.
Results:
The results were closely correlated, identifying three groups of volunteers: low, medium and high risk of falls. When these values were compared with the analyzes performed by the application, some of the variations in the results generated by the application were not related to the classic tests, as the software could discriminate between individuals with a high and low risk of falls.
Conclusion:
The developed application was able to verify the oscillations present in the maintenance of static balance of the elderly and could differentiate the results into two groups of high and low risk of falls.
Keywords:
Gerontology; Accidental Falls; Physical Therapy; Smartphone
