Fall Risk

Psychological factors such as fear of falling and low confidence can further reduce turning performance in people with iSCI. In people with iSCI, turning while walking is linked to a fall risk higher than that reported in older adults and in some neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease or peripheral neuropathy. Fall history is captured through a semistructured interview plus weekly self-reports, and a fall is defined to include slips or trips ending on the floor, ground, or a lower level. The Falls Efficacy Scale International measures concern about falling across 16 items rated 1–4, with higher scores indicating greater concern, and has reported test-retest ICC of 0.89 in older adults.