Complex and Simple Clinical Reaction Times Are Associated with Gait, Balance, and Major Fall Injury

Dr. Sandra Hearn interviews Dr. James Richardson on his article, Complex and simple clinical reaction times are associated with gait, balance, and major fall injury in older subjects with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. In the diabetic peripheral neuropathy subjects, the ratio of complex RTclin accuracy to simple RTclin latency was strongly associated with longer UST, and decreased step width variability and range on an uneven surface. Additionally, the 2 DPN subjects sustaining major injuries had lower complex RTclin accuracy:simple RTclin latency than those without.The ratio of complex RTclin accuracy:simple RTclin latency is a potent predictor of UST and frontal plane gaitvariability in response to perturbations and may predict major fall injury in older subjects with DPN. These short latency neurocognitive measures may compensate for lower limb neuromuscular impairments and provide a more comprehensive understanding of balance and fall risk. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 Jan;96(1):8-16.