Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/10459
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dc.contributor.authorYoung, WR-
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, AM-
dc.date.accessioned2015-03-20T13:40:38Z-
dc.date.available2013-10-28-
dc.date.available2015-03-20T13:40:38Z-
dc.date.issued2015-
dc.identifier.citationGait and Posture, 41(1): 7–12, (January 2015)en_US
dc.identifier.issn0966-6362-
dc.identifier.issn1879-2219-
dc.identifier.urihttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096663621400705X-
dc.identifier.urihttp://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/10459-
dc.descriptionThis article was made available through the Brunel Open Access Fund.-
dc.description.abstractIt is widely reported that fear of falling (FOF) has a profound and largely detrimental effect on balance performance in older adults. However, the mechanisms by which FOF influence postural stability are poorly understood. In the current article, we use psychological theory to explain FOF-related changes to postural control. First, we review literature describing associations between FOF and the 'stiffening' strategies observed during control of posture, including observations of eye and head movements. Second, we present a framework illustrating the interactions between increased age, FOF, and altered attentional processes, which in turn influence balance performance and fall-risk. Psychological theory predicts that anxiety can cause attentional bias for threatening and task-irrelevant stimuli and compromise the efficiency of working memory resources. We argue that while the adoption of stiffening strategies is likely to be beneficial in avoiding a loss of balance during simple postural tasks, it will ultimately compromise performance in dynamic and highly demanding functional tasks. The adoption of stiffening strategies leads to inadequate acquisition of the sensory information necessary to plan and execute dynamic and interactive movements. We conclude with some suggestions for future research.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThis research was supported by The Royal Society (IE131576) and British Academy (SG132820).en_US
dc.languageeng-
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherElsevieren_US
dc.relation.isreplacedby2438/11377-
dc.relation.isreplacedbyhttp://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/11377-
dc.subjectAnxietyen_US
dc.subjectAttentional control theoryen_US
dc.subjectFear of fallingen_US
dc.subjectOlder adultsen_US
dc.subjectStiffeningen_US
dc.titleHow fear of falling can increase fall-risk in older adults: Applying psychological theory to practical observationsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2014.09.006-
dc.relation.isPartOfGait and Posture-
dc.relation.isPartOfGait and Posture-
pubs.merge-to2438/11377-
pubs.merge-tohttp://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/11377-
pubs.publication-statusAccepted-
pubs.publication-statusAccepted-
pubs.organisational-data/Brunel-
pubs.organisational-data/Brunel/Brunel Staff by College/Department/Division-
pubs.organisational-data/Brunel/Brunel Staff by College/Department/Division/College of Health and Life Sciences-
pubs.organisational-data/Brunel/Brunel Staff by College/Department/Division/College of Health and Life Sciences/Dept of Life Sciences-
pubs.organisational-data/Brunel/Brunel Staff by College/Department/Division/College of Health and Life Sciences/Dept of Life Sciences/Sport-
pubs.organisational-data/Brunel/Brunel Staff by Institute/Theme-
pubs.organisational-data/Brunel/Brunel Staff by Institute/Theme/Institute of Environmental, Health and Societies-
pubs.organisational-data/Brunel/Brunel Staff by Institute/Theme/Institute of Environmental, Health and Societies/Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Technologies-
Appears in Collections:Brunel OA Publishing Fund
Dept of Life Sciences Research Papers

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