Association of Fear of Falling With Balance, Posture, and Functionality in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis: Comparison with Healthy Controls

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare the fear of falling in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and healthy controls. The relationship between the fear of falling and spinal mobility, balance parameters, functional capacity, pain, and disease activity was also evaluated in patients. The study sample included 40 AS patients and 50 gender-age-matched healthy controls. Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), Berg Balance-Scale (BBS), and Short-Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were evaluated in all participants. In patients, the Bath AS-Metrology Index (BASMI), pain-visual analog scale (VAS), Bath AS-Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Bath AS-Functional Index (BASFI) were assessed. The mean ages of the patients and controls were 45.73 ± 9.5 (18-63) and 42.28 ± 8.1 (26-56), respectively. Fear of falling scores were significantly higher, and BBS and SPPB scores were significantly lower in patients than in controls (p<0.001). There was a positive correlation between FES-I scores and VAS-pain, BASFI, and BASDAI-scores, and a negative correlation was found between FES-I scores and BBS and SPPB-scores (SPPB p<0.05, others p<0.001). BASMI scores were negatively correlated with BBS scores (p<0.05). In the regression analysis, positive correlation with FES-I was BASFI-scores (p<0.05). The results of this study showed that patients with AS may experience fear of falling even if there is no history of falls. Balance, disease activity, and, most importantly, functional capacity should be evaluated to reduce the fear of falling in these patients. © 2024 Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi. All rights reserved.