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Program that includes activities of daily living reduced falls in elderly participants

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An exercise regimen that involves activities of daily living such as walking sideways or bending the knees reduced the risk of falls by 31% in elderly participants, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney.

The research was published online in the British Medical Journal.

“It is well known that improving balance and strength can prevent falls in older adults but, in spite of this, less than 10% of older people routinely engage in strength training,” lead author, Professor Lindy Clemson, said. “The figure for older adults engaging in activities that challenge balance is likely to be much lower.”

The researchers compared the rate of falls with the Lifestyle integrated Functional Exercise (LiFE) program to those of two control groups: a structured program undertaking balance and lower limb strength exercise, and another program consisting of gentle sham exercises. According to the study abstract, participants in the LiFE and structured programs had five sessions that included two phone calls and booster visits, while the sham control group had three home visits and six telephone calls.

They obtained data using Veterans’ Affairs and general practice databases to identify residents of Sydney, Australia, who aged 70 years or older and had sustained at least two falls or one injurious fall in the past year. The investigators compared the groups for variables such as static and dynamic balance, joint strength, balance, self-efficacy, daily living activities, quality of life and energy expenditure.

At 12-month follow-up, the investigators found 172 falls for the LiFE group, 193 falls for the structured group and 224 falls for the sham exercise group. Overall, falls decreased 31% in the LiFE group. Incidence of falls averaged 1.66 per person years in the LiFE group, 1.90 in the structured group and 2.28 in the sham group. They found static balance, ankle strength, function and program participation were significantly better in the LiFE group than the other groups.

“The Lifestyle integrated Functional Exercise program provides an alternative for older people at risk of falls to traditional exercise programs, and it could work better for many people,” Clemson stated in the release. “Lifestyle integrated Functional Exercise gives participants more energy to do tasks, improves function during activities and enhances participation in daily life. In a modern world that increasingly relies on automation and doing less, the Lifestyle integrated Functional Exercise program offers some much-needed challenge and complexity.”

Reference:

Clemson L, Fiatarone Singh MA, Bundy A, et al. Integration of balance and strength training into daily life activity to reduce rate of falls in older people (the LiFE study): Randomized parallel trial. BMJ. 2012; 345:e4547. doi: 10.1136/bmj.e4547.

http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=9814