Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Exercise for reducing fear of falling in older people living in the community: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis

Kumar, Arun; Delbaere, Kim; Zijlstra, G.A.R.; Carpenter, Hannah; Iliffe, Steve; Masud, Tahir; Skelton, Dawn A.; Morris, Richard W.; Kendrick, Denise

Exercise for reducing fear of falling in older people living in the community: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis Thumbnail


Authors

Arun Kumar

Kim Delbaere

G.A.R. Zijlstra

Hannah Carpenter

Steve Iliffe

Tahir Masud

Dawn A. Skelton

Richard W. Morris

DENISE KENDRICK DENISE.KENDRICK@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Professor of Primary Care Research



Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of exercise interventions on fear of falling in community-living people aged ?65 years.
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.
Results: Thirty trials (2878 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 (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 (

Citation

Kumar, A., Delbaere, K., Zijlstra, G., Carpenter, H., Iliffe, S., Masud, T., …Kendrick, D. (in press). Exercise for reducing fear of falling in older people living in the community: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis. Age and Ageing, 45(3), https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw036

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 22, 2016
Online Publication Date Apr 27, 2016
Deposit Date Apr 22, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Age and Ageing
Print ISSN 0002-0729
Electronic ISSN 1468-2834
Publisher Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 45
Issue 3
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw036
Keywords Fear, Falls, Exercise, Review
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/783504
Publisher URL http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/content/45/3/345
Additional Information This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Age and Ageing following peer review. The version of record Exercise for reducing fear of falling in older people living in the community: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis. Arun Kumar; Kim Delbaere; G. A. R. Zijlstra; Hannah Carpenter; Steve Iliffe; Tahir Masud; Dawn Skelton; Richard Morris; Denise Kendrick Age and Ageing 2016 45 (3): 345-352 is available online at: http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/content/45/3/345.