Yoshiro Okubo1,2, Yosuke Osuka1,3, Songee Jung3, Figueroa Rafael1, Takehiko Tsujimoto3, Tatsuya Aiba1,4, Teaho Kim1, Kiyoji Tanaka3. 1. Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. 2. The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. 3. Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. 4. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Abstract
AIM: To examine the effects of walking on falls among community-dwelling older adults while accounting for exposures. METHODS: A total of 90 older adults, ranging in age from 65 to 79 years, were allocated into either the walking (brisk walking, n = 50) or the balance (balance and strength training, n = 40) group to participate in a 3-month supervised and 13-month unsupervised fall-prevention program held from 2012 to 2014 in Japan. Falls and trips that occurred during the 16-month period were monitored with a monthly fall calendar. The risk of falls and trips was evaluated by person-year, physically active person-day and person-step. RESULTS: The walking group showed a significant reduction in the fall risk when evaluated by the falls per physically active person-day (rate ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.19-0.77) and falls per person-step (rate ratio 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.26-0.85) compared with the balance group. In contrast, the number of trips significantly increased with walking, even when evaluated as trips per physically active person-day (rate ratio 1.50, 95% confidence interval 1.12-2.00). CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that walking among community-dwelling older adults can be more effective for fall prevention than balance training. However, because walking can induce more trips, walking should not be recommended for older adults who are susceptible to falling or frailty.
RCT Entities:
AIM: To examine the effects of walking on falls among community-dwelling older adults while accounting for exposures. METHODS: A total of 90 older adults, ranging in age from 65 to 79 years, were allocated into either the walking (brisk walking, n = 50) or the balance (balance and strength training, n = 40) group to participate in a 3-month supervised and 13-month unsupervised fall-prevention program held from 2012 to 2014 in Japan. Falls and trips that occurred during the 16-month period were monitored with a monthly fall calendar. The risk of falls and trips was evaluated by person-year, physically active person-day and person-step. RESULTS: The walking group showed a significant reduction in the fall risk when evaluated by the falls per physically active person-day (rate ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.19-0.77) and falls per person-step (rate ratio 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.26-0.85) compared with the balance group. In contrast, the number of trips significantly increased with walking, even when evaluated as trips per physically active person-day (rate ratio 1.50, 95% confidence interval 1.12-2.00). CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that walking among community-dwelling older adults can be more effective for fall prevention than balance training. However, because walking can induce more trips, walking should not be recommended for older adults who are susceptible to falling or frailty.
Authors: Tess Harris; Elizabeth S Limb; Fay Hosking; Iain Carey; Steve DeWilde; Cheryl Furness; Charlotte Wahlich; Shaleen Ahmad; Sally Kerry; Peter Whincup; Christina Victor; Michael Ussher; Steve Iliffe; Ulf Ekelund; Julia Fox-Rushby; Judith Ibison; Derek G Cook Journal: PLoS Med Date: 2019-06-25 Impact factor: 11.069
Authors: Karen L Troy; Megan E Mancuso; Tiffiny A Butler; Joshua E Johnson Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2018-04-28 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Christopher A C M Ng; Nicola Fairhall; Geraldine Wallbank; Anne Tiedemann; Zoe A Michaleff; Catherine Sherrington Journal: BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med Date: 2019-12-16