@article{ref1, title="The effects of a multicomponent intervention program on clinical outcomes associated with falls in healthy older adults", journal="Aging clinical and experimental research", year="2018", author="Cho, Young-Hee and Mohamed, Olfat and White, Barbara and Singh-Carlson, Savitri and Krishnan, Vennila", volume="30", number="9", pages="1101-1110", abstract="BACKGROUND: Multicomponent intervention programs have been shown to be effective in reducing risk factors associated with falls, but the primary target population of these interventions is often low-functioning older adults. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention program focusing on balance and muscle strength for independently functioning community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS: Fifty-three independently functioning older adults, aged 80.09 ± 6.62 years, participated in a group exercise class (conducted 2 times/week for 8 weeks) emphasizing balance. Outcome measures were balance performance using the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale and muscle strength using the Senior Fitness Test (SFT).

RESULTS: The intervention improved balance (P < 0.001), and older adults who were classified as having high fall risks based on the FAB scores at pre-testing improved more than older adults who were classified as having low fall risks (P = 0.017). As a result, 22 participants transitioned from a high fall risk group at pre-testing to a low fall risk group at post-testing (P < 0.001). The intervention also enhanced both upper and lower muscle extremity strength based on SFT results (P < 0.001) regardless of participants' classification of fall risk status.

CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION: The multicomponent intervention conducted two times per week for 8 weeks was effective in improving balance and enhancing muscle strength of independently functioning older adults. The results underscore the importance of providing fall prevention interventions to healthy older adults, a population often not a target of balance interventions.

Language: en

", language="en", issn="1594-0667", doi="10.1007/s40520-018-0895-z", url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40520-018-0895-z" }