Perhaps this was necessary because for some, fear of falling became an all consuming

aspect of life, impacting activity and participation.

Limitations

 There are several limitations to this study. Our study primarily used qualitative data

derived from a larger study. We were restricted to a convenience sample. Common to all

qualitative studies, generalization is not possible, although findings may be informative

across similar populations.

 This study was a secondary analysis of naturally occurring data. There was not a

specific interview question related to falls, fear of falling, or post-stroke mobility, and we

did not include a standardized fear of falling or falls incidence assessment. We were

dependent on the use of natural conversation elicited from questions regarding changes

since stroke, concerns about bodily changes, and barriers to everyday life to determine

those who would be considered fearful of falling. Although this naturalistic approach

derives significant amounts of information, all of those with fear of falling may have not

been considered in the qualitative and quantitative analyses, thus possibly reducing

detection of fear of falling incidence.

Future Research

 Because falls and fear of falling are unpredictable, it is of great concern to those

managing life post-stroke. This preliminary research provides insight into the

development of fear of falling after discharge home post-stroke and the impact it has on

activity and participation. It is evident that some people develop a fear that promotes safe

completion of activities. However, others are likely to engage in a cycle of restricted

activities and then experience further functional losses. This plays into the "vicious

circle" portrayed by Delbaere and colleagues who suggested a pattern between reduced