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Low-intensity exercise and reduction of the risk for falls among at-risk elders . BACKGROUND Among elderly persons , falls account for 87 % of all fractures and are contributing factors in many nursing home admissions . This study evaluated the effect of an easily implemented , low-intensity exercise program on the incidence of falls and the time to first fall among a clinically defined population of elderly men and women . METHODS This community-based , randomized trial compared the exercise intervention with a no-intervention control . The participants were 294 men and women , aged 60 years or older , who had either a hospital admission or bed rest for 2 days or more within the previous month . Exercise participants were scheduled to attend exercise sessions lasting 45 minutes , including warm-up and cool-down , 3 times a week for 8 weeks ( 24 sessions ) . Assessments included gait and balance measures , self-reported physical function , the number of medications being taking at baseline , participant age , sex , and history of falling . Falls were tracked for 1 year after each participant 's baseline assessment . RESULTS 29 % of the study participants reported a fall during the study period . The effect of exercise in preventing falls varied significantly by baseline physical function level ( p < or =.002 ) . The risk for falls decreased for exercise participants with low baseline physical functioning ( hazard ratio , .51 ) but increased for exercise participants with high baseline physical functioning ( hazard ratio , 3.51 ) . CONCLUSIONS This easily implemented , low-intensity exercise program appears to reduce the risk for falls among elderly men and women recovering from recent hospitalizations , bed rest , or both who have low levels of physical functioning .
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Intervention_Physical
Low-intensity exercise
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Intervention_Physical
low-intensity exercise program
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Intervention_Physical
exercise intervention
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Intervention_Control
no-intervention control .
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Intervention_Physical
Exercise
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Intervention_Physical
exercise sessions
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Intervention_Physical
exercise
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Intervention_Physical
low-intensity exercise program
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Outcome_Physical
risk for falls
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Outcome_Physical
falls
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Outcome_Physical
incidence of falls
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Outcome_Physical
time to first fall
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Outcome_Physical
gait and balance measures
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Outcome_Physical
self-reported physical function
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Outcome_Mental
number of medications being taking at baseline
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Outcome_Other
history of falling
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Outcome_Physical
Falls
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Outcome_Physical
fall
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Outcome_Other
preventing falls
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Outcome_Physical
risk for falls
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Outcome_Physical
risk for falls
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Participant_Age
elderly persons
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Participant_Condition
incidence of falls and the time to first fall among a clinically defined population of elderly men and women .