Older Adults Who Exercised Had Fewer Fall Injuries in 29 Trials
Graded Moderate — an analysis of 29 trials with 6,367 people assigned by chance; the authors rate certainty only moderate to low, as exercise is hard to hide from participants.
- Design
- Meta-analysis
- Participants
- 6,367
- Duration
- —
- Funding
- The authors report no commercial or financial conflicts.
Older adults in exercise programs had fewer fall injuries and fractures than people in comparison groups.
For older people, a fall can change a lot. Fractures and severe injuries in particular are closely tied to hospital stays, losing independence, moving into a care home, and death. An analysis that pooled 29 trials found that older people taking part in exercise programs were injured less often when they fell.
The trials included 6,367 people living at home. In each one, chance decided who exercised. Programs included balance and strength training, Tai Chi and walking. The comparison groups got usual care, health information or nothing at all. In the exercise groups, 39.2 percent had a fall injury, compared with 44.2 percent in the comparison groups.
Severe injuries and injuries needing medical care were also less common. For fractures, the risk was 44 percent lower. That figure is uncertain, though, as the authors rate the fracture evidence as low certainty. Participants usually knew whether they were exercising, so most trials had weaknesses that could skew results. The analysis did not track side effects separately.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors report no commercial or financial conflicts.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.