The efficacy of a specific balance-strategy training programme for preventing falls among older people: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND older people participate in exercise programmes to reduce the risk of falls but no study has investigated a specific balance strategy training intervention presented in a workstation format for small groups. OBJECTIVE to determine whether a specific balance strategy training programmeme delivered in a workstation format was superior to a community based exercise class programme for reducing falls. DESIGN a randomised controlled trial model. SETTING Neurological Disorders, Ageing and Balance Clinic, Department of Physiotherapy, The University of Queensland. SUBJECTS 73 males and females over 60 years, living independently in the community and who had fallen in the previous year were recruited. METHODS all subjects received a falls risk education booklet and completed an incident calendar for the duration of the study. Treatment sessions were once a week for 10 weeks. Subject assessment before and after intervention and at 3 months follow-up included number of falls, co-morbidities, medications, community services and activity level, functional motor ability, clinical and laboratory balance measures and fear of falling. RESULTS all participants significantly reduced the number of falls (P < 0.000). The specific balance strategy intervention group showed significantly more improvement in functional measures than the control group (P = 0.034). Separate group analyses indicated significantly improved performance in functional motor ability and most clinical balance measures for the balance group (P < 0.04). The control group only improved in TUG and TUGcog. CONCLUSIONS the results provide evidence that all participants achieved a significant reduction in falls. Specific balance strategy training using workstations is superior to traditional exercise classes for improving function and balance.