TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - Exercise for reducing fear of falling in older people living in the community: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis
JO  - Age and ageing
A1  - Kumar, Arun
A1  - Delbaere, Kim
A1  - Zijlstra, G. A. R.
A1  - Carpenter, Hannah
A1  - Iliffe, Steve
A1  - Masud, Tahir
A1  - Skelton, Dawn A.
A1  - Morris, Richard
A1  - Kendrick, Denise
SP  - 345
EP  - 352
VL  - 45
IS  - 3
N2  - OBJECTIVE: to determine the effect of exercise interventions on fear of falling in community-living people aged ≥65. <br><br>DESIGN: systematic review and meta-analysis. Bibliographic databases, trial registers and other sources were searched for randomised or quasi-randomised trials. Data were independently extracted by pairs of reviewers using a standard form. <br><br>RESULTS: thirty trials (2,878 participants) reported 36 interventions (Tai Chi and yoga (n = 9); balance training (n = 19); strength and resistance training (n = 8)). The risk of bias was low in few trials. Most studies were from high-income countries (Australia = 8, USA = 7). Intervention periods (<12 weeks = 22; 13-26 weeks = 7; >26 weeks = 7) and exercise frequency (1-3 times/week = 32; ≥4 times/week = 4) varied between studies. Fear of falling was measured by single-item questions (7) and scales measuring falls efficacy (14), balance confidence (9) and concern or worry about falling (2). Meta-analyses showed a small to moderate effect of exercise interventions on reducing fear of falling immediately post-intervention (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.37, 95% CI 0.18, 0.56; 24 studies; low-quality evidence). There was a small, but not statistically significant effect in the longer term (<6 months (SMD 0.17, 95% CI -0.05, 0.38 (four studies) and ≥6 months post-intervention SMD 0.20, 95% CI -0.01, 0.41 (three studies)). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: exercise interventions probably reduce fear of falling to a small to moderate degree immediately post-intervention in community-living older people. The high risk of bias in most included trials suggests findings should be interpreted with caution. High-quality trials are needed to strengthen the evidence base in this area.<br><br>© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0002-0729
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw036
ID  - ref1
ER  -