Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Preventative effect of exercise against falls in the elderly: a randomized controlled trial

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Osteoporosis International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Summary

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of 5-month exercise program on the prevention of falls in the elderly. The exercise training, which consisted of calisthenics, body balance training, muscle power training, and walking ability training 3 days/week improved the indices of the flexibility, body balance, muscle power, and walking ability and reduced the incidence of falls compared with non-exercise controls. The present study showed the beneficial effect of the exercise program aimed at improving flexibility, body balance, muscle power, and walking ability in preventing falls in the elderly.

Introduction

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of exercise on the prevention of falls in the elderly.

Methods

Sixty-eight elderly ambulatory volunteers were randomly divided into two groups: the exercise and control groups. The daily exercise, which consisted of calisthenics, body balance training (tandem standing, tandem gait, and unipedal standing), muscle power training (chair-rising training), and walking ability training (stepping), were performed 3 days/week only in the exercise group. No exercise was performed in the control group.

Results

After the 5-month exercise program, the indices of the flexibility, body balance, muscle power, and walking ability significantly improved in the exercise group compared with the control group. The incidence of falls was significantly lower in the exercise group than in the control group (0.0% vs. 12.1%, P = 0.0363). The exercise program was safe and well tolerated in the elderly.

Conclusions

The present study showed the beneficial effect of the exercise program aimed at improving flexibility, body balance, muscle power, and walking ability in preventing falls in the elderly.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Runge M, Rehfeld G, Resnicek E (2001) Balance training and exercise in geriatric patients. J Musculoskel Neuronal Interact 1:61–65

    Google Scholar 

  2. Asmussen E (1980) Aging and exercise. Environ Physiol 3:419–428

    Google Scholar 

  3. Runge M, Hunter G (2006) Determinants of musculoskeletal frailty and the risk of falls in old age. J Musculoskel Neuronal Interact 6:167–173

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Frost HM (1997) Defining osteopenias and osteoporosis: another view (with insights from a new paradigm). Bone 20:385–191

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Schiessl H, Frost HM, Jee WSS (1998) Estrogen and bone-muscle strength and mass relationship. Bone 22:1–6

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Gardner MM, Robertson MC, Campbell AJ (2000) Exercise in preventing falls and fall related injuries in older people: a review of randomized controlled trials. Br J Sports Med 34:7–17

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Gillespie LD, Gillespie WJ, Robertson MC, Lamb SE, Cumming RG, Rowe BH (2001) Interventions for preventing falls in elderly people. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 3: CD000340

  8. Lane JM, Nydick M (1999) Osteoporosis: current modes of prevention and treatment. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 7:19–31

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Wolf SL, Barnhart HX, Kutner NG, McNeely E, Coogler C, Xu T (1996) Reducing frailty and falls in older persons: an investigation of Tai Chi and computerized balance training. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:489–497

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Podsiadlo D, Richardson S (1991) The timed “up & go:” A test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons. J Am Geriatr Soc 39:142–148

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Allen SH (1994) Exercise considerations for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Arthritis Care Res 7:205–214

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Feskanich D, Willett W, Colditz G (2002) Walking and leisure-time activity and risk of hip fracture in postmenopausal women. JAMA 288:2300–2306

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Hoshino K, Beppu M, Ishii S, Masuda T, Hibino Y, Oyake Y, Aoki H, Sudou K, Iida Y (2002) The gait analysis of the elderly at the fall prevention exercise class. J Physical Medicine 13:113–117 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Mr. Fusamitsu Inui, Mr. Toshihiro Yamaguchi, and other members of the Tokyo Branch of Banyu Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan for their assistance in the preparation of the trial.

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sports Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan

    J. Iwamoto, T. Takeda & H. Matsumoto

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keiyu Orthopaedic Hospital, Gunma, Japan

    J. Iwamoto

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kawakita General Hospital, Suginami-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    H. Suzuki

  4. Kei Medical Clinic, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    K. Tanaka

  5. Kumakubo Orthopaedic Clinic, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    T. Kumakubo

  6. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Adventist Hospital, Suginami-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    H. Hirabayashi

  7. Miyazaki Orthopaedic Clinic, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Y. Miyazaki

  8. Department of Neurology, Mitate Hospital, Tagawa, Fukuoka, Japan

    Y. Sato

Authors
  1. J. Iwamoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. Suzuki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. Tanaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. Kumakubo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. H. Hirabayashi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Y. Miyazaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Y. Sato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. T. Takeda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. H. Matsumoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Iwamoto.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Iwamoto, J., Suzuki, H., Tanaka, K. et al. Preventative effect of exercise against falls in the elderly: a randomized controlled trial. Osteoporos Int 20, 1233–1240 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-008-0794-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-008-0794-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation