Balance Confidence and Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Are Most Predictive of Falling in Older Adults: Prospective Analysis

Balance confidence was the best predictor of falling, followed by fear of falling avoidance behavior, and the Timed "Up & Go" Test. Fall history, presence of pathology, and physical tests did not predict falling. These findings suggest that participants may have had a better sense of their fall risk than with a test that provides a snapshot of their balance.