TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Free from falls education and exercise program for reducing falls in people with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial
JO  - Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical and Laboratory Research
A1  - Cameron, Michelle H.
A1  - Hildebrand, Andrea
A1  - Hugos, Cinda L.
A1  - Judd, Grace I.
A1  - McMillan, Garnett
A1  - Jacobs, Peter G.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - BACKGROUND: People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) fall frequently. Community-delivered exercise and education reduce falls in older adults, but their efficacy in multiple sclerosis (MS) is unknown. <br><br>OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of the Free From Falls (FFF) group education and exercise program on falls in PwMS. <br><br>METHODS: This was a prospective, assessor-blinded, two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. Ninety-six participants were randomized to FFF (eight weekly 2 hour sessions) or the control condition (a fall prevention brochure and informing their neurologist of their fall history). Participants counted falls prospectively from enrollment through 6 months following intervention. Effects on fall frequency were evaluated by the Bayesian analysis. <br><br>RESULTS: The modeled mean fall frequency pre-intervention was 1.2 falls/month in the FFF group (95% credible intervals (CIs) = 0.8-2.0) and 1.4 falls/month in the control group (95% CI = 0.9-2.1). Fall frequency decreased by 0.6 falls/month in both groups over time (nadir 4-6 months post-intervention: FFF 0.6 falls/month (95% CI = 0.4-0.9); control 0.8 falls/month (95% CI = 0.5-1.1)). <br><br>CONCLUSION: In-person group exercise and education are not superior to written education and neurologist-initiated interventions for preventing falls in PwMS.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1352-4585
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13524585211046898
ID  - ref1
ER  -