Characteristics & Consequences of Falls Among People With Multiple Sclerosis Who Use Wheelchairs or Scooters

PURPOSE: Falls are common among people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use wheelchairs or scooters. However, very little is known about the circumstances of falls in this population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics and consequences of falls in people with MS who use wheelchairs/scooters.

METHOD: A cross-sectional study design was utilized. A convenience sample of 48 people with MS (age = 62.0 [13.0] years, gender = 81.3% female, primary form of mobility = wheelchairs or scooters) completed a fall-history survey that examined the characteristics and consequences of their most recent fall. Participants also completed standard questionnaires on quality of life, community participation, and fear of falling.

RESULTS: Most falls (85.4%) reported by participants occurred inside the house. Twelve (25.0%) participants experienced fall-related injuries such as bruises, cuts, muscle strains, and fractures. Injurious fallers had a higher proportion of falls that occurred during transfers compared to non-injurious fallers (n = 10, 83.3% vs n = 17, 47.2%). Most participants (45.8%) did not receive any information from healthcare professionals on how to manage their fall-risk. No differences between injurious and non-injurious fallers in quality of life, community participation, and fear of falling were observed.

CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional investigation provided compelling evidence that people with MS who use wheelchairs or scooters are at high risk of fall-related injuries. The study findings underscore the importance of increasing health care providers’ awareness about the frequency and consequences of falls, as well as the critical need of identifying appropriate interventions aiming to minimize fall-related injuries by promoting safe wheelchair-transfer strategies.

References

Coote, S., Comber, L., Quinn, G., Santoyo-Medina, C., Kalron, A., & Gunn, H (2020). Falls in People with Multiple Sclerosis: Risk Identification, Intervention, and Future Directions. Int J MS Care, 22(6), 247-255. https://doi.org/10.7224/1537-2073.2020-014

Rice, L., Kalron, A., Berkowitz, S. H., Backus, D., & Sosnoff, J. J. (2017). Fall prevalence in people with multiple sclerosis who use wheelchairs and scooters. Medicine (Baltimore), 96(35), e7860. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000007860