Balance Problems in the Elderly with Diabetes Mellitus: A Literature Review.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a syndrome of chronic metabolic disease which leads to all kinds of complications. Elderly people with DM have significantly higher fear of falling and balance problem scores as compared to those who did not have DM. This literature review aims: (1) to determine the risk factors for balance disorders in the elderly population with DM, (2) to describe valid and reliable balance measurement tools in the elderly population with DM, and (3) to describe the nonpharmacological management in dealing with balance disorders in the elderly population with DM.