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Fewer Old Folks Falling

A home-based exercise programme is reducing falls among older people thanks to Otago University's New Zealand Falls Prevention Research Team.

Research leader Professor John Campbell says women taking part in the exercise programme experienced significantly fewer falls and injuries than those in the no-exercise control group.

Falls are the most common cause of hip fractures and soft tissue injuries in older people. Half of people aged 80 or more have at least one fall per year and related ACC payouts almost doubled in four years, reaching $15.5 million in 1994.

In the Dunedin trials, 230 women aged 80 and over were visited at home by a physiotherapist and given an individually-tailored set of exercises to improve strength and balance plus a walking programme.

Exercises included using ankle cuff weights for strengthening various muscle groups, stair climbing, walking on the toes and heels and standing or walking with one foot directly in front of the other.

Campbell says the results contradict a common belief that regular physical activity increases the risk of falls. He says women participating in the programme gained improved balance and strength, and older people should be encouraged to increase their exercise levels to gain wide-ranging benefits.