Effectiveness of Exercise on Fall Prevention in Community-dwelling Older Adults: a 2-year Randomized Controlled Study of 914 Women

Overview

Journal Age Ageing

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2023 Apr 25

PMID 37097767

Authors

Toni Rikkonen

Reijo Sund

Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen

Joonas Sirola

Risto Honkanen

Heikki Kroger

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Communal exercise interventions may help prevent falls and injuries. However, pragmatic trials demonstrating the effectiveness of such strategies are sparse.

Methods: We determined whether a cost-free 12-month admission to the city's recreational sports facilities including initial 6 months of supervised weekly gym and Tai Chi sessions decreases the number of falls and related injuries. The mean (SD) follow-up time was 22·6 (4.8) months in 2016-19. A total of 914 women from a population-based sample with a mean age of 76.5 (SD 3.3, range 71.1-84.8) years were randomized into exercise intervention (n = 457) and control (n = 457) groups. Fall information was collected through biweekly short message (SMS) queries and fall diaries. Altogether 1,380 falls were recorded for the intention-to-treat analysis, with 1,281 (92.8%) being verified by telephone.

Results: A 14.3% fall rate reduction was detected in the exercise group (Incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.86; CI 95% 0.77-0.95) compared with the control group. Approximately half of the falls caused moderate (n = 678, 52.8%) or severe (n = 61, 4.8%) injury. In total, 13.2% (n = 166) of falls (including 73 fractures) required medical consultation with a 38% lower fracture rate in the exercise group (IRR = 0.62; CI 95% 0.39-0.99). Overall, the greatest reduction of 41% (IRR = 0.59; CI 95% 0.36-0.99) was observed in falls with severe injury and pain.

Conclusions: A community-based approach for a 6-month exercise period combined with a 12-month free use of sports premises can reduce falls, fractures and other fall-related injuries in aging women.

Citing Articles

Exercise reduces the risk of falls in women with polypharmacy: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Tamminen A, Honkanen R, Koivumaa-Honkanen H, Sirola J, Sund R, Kroger H Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):6009.

PMID: 39972017 PMC: 11839976. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-88205-y.

Physical and mental health predicts better adherence to exercise intervention in older women: A post-hoc analysis.

Laakso J, Kopra J, Koivumaa-Honkanen H, Sirola J, Honkanen R, Kroger H Heliyon. 2024; 10(11):e32128.

PMID: 38882273 PMC: 11180318. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32128.

Validation of a fall rate prediction model for community-dwelling older adults: a combined analysis of three cohorts with 1850 participants.

Wapp C, Mittaz Hager A, Rikkonen T, Hilfiker R, Biver E, Ferrari S BMC Geriatr. 2024; 24(1):287.

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Mediation of the Association Between Physical Exercise and Depressive/Anxiety Symptoms by Pain and Sleep Problems Among Older Adults.

Choi N, Choi B, Marti C Gerontol Geriatr Med. 2024; 10:23337214241241397.

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Body composition, balance, functional capacity and falls in older women.

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