Balance, Mobility, and Falls: Comparing Persons With and Without Venous Ulcers

Purpose: Balance, mobility, and falls are rarely examined for persons with venous ulcers.  We examined the Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) and Five-Time-Sit-to-Stand (FTSTS) tests, measures of balance and mobility, in patients with venous ulcers (VU+) compared to patients without venous ulcers (VU-). 

Methods: A cross-sectional, comparative design was used; n=31 VU+ and 30 VU-; all were recruited from an urban medical clinic. They completed background and other questionnaires and performed the TUG (meters per second) and FTSTS (number per minute) tests two times. The participant’s best values were used in analyses. 

Results: Mean age was 54 years; 57% were men; 93% were African American. Patients VU+ had a history of injection drug use. Patients VU+ compared to those VU- took significantly longer to perform the TUG (r=-.39, p=.002) and FTSTS (r=-.29, p=.02); they walked significantly less per day (r=.45 and .39, p <.002, respectively) and reported decreased walking over the past 5 years (r=.36 and .36, p<.005, respectively). Better performance on TUG and FTSTS were associated with higher self-health rating. Falling one or more times in the past year was reported by 65% of patients VU+ (n=20) and 40% of patients VU- (n=12). Slower TUG and FTSTS tests were associated with increased falls (r=-.31 and -.36, p<.02, respectively). 

Conclusions: Patients VU+ had slower TUG and FTSTS tests indicating VUs were negatively associated with balance and mobility. TUG and FTSTS were associated with falls. Participants VU+ had a history of injection drug use, represent a large, aging group in the United States, and need further study. TUG and FTSTS are commonly used tests of dynamic balance and mobility for older adults regarding fall risk, are easily performed clinically, and provide information about patient safety in terms of mobility, balance, and falls.