Background: In community-dwelling elderly individuals, slower gait speed is closely related to the ground reaction force. In the elderly with fall experience, stride length and gait speed, and other gait parameters are closely related to gastrocnemius activation. Objectives: To investigate whether medial gastrocnemius stiffness influences gait parameters in community-dwelling elderly people who experienced falls. Design: Cross sectional study. Methods: A total of 149 community-dwelling older adults were assigned to the faller and non-faller groups. Gait parameters (step length, stride length, step width, cadence, heel and toe ground reaction force, heel and toe contact time), and stiffness of the medial and lateral gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior were measured using shear wave elastography. Results: Elderly fallers had shorter step and stride length, lower cadence and toe ground reaction force and heel contact time, and lower medial gastrocnemius stiffness than non-fallers. In elderly fallers, medial gastrocnemius stiffness was significantly correlated with step and stride length, step width, toe ground reaction force, and heel contact time. Conclusions: Lower medial gastrocnemius stiffness in the elderly fallers decreases gait parameters, which can be a risk factor for falls. Therefore, medial gastrocnemius stiffness is a major factor that may associated gait parameters that can determine the risk of fall in community-dwelling elderly individuals.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of fall injuries on the balancing abilities and ankle flexibility. Fifteen of the voluntary participants had no experience of falling in the last two years (none falling group, NFG) and 15 others experienced at least one (falling group, FG). Static balance (sway length, sway area), dynamic balance (timed up and go (TUG), and functional to reach test (FRT) were measured in each group. In comparison of static balance, sway length was not significantly different between NFG and FG in both eyes open and eyes close, however the sway area of the FG was significantly wider than that of the NFG (p<.05). In dynamic balance comparisons, TUG of FG was significantly longer than that of NFG (p <.05), however FRT and STS were no significant difference between groups. Ankle flexibility was significantly higher in NFG than in FG. This study suggests that the fall prevention program should include methods for improving ankle stability and lower extremity function.