Fall Preparedness Program for Preventing Falls

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Weiqing Ge

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Youngstown State University

Disqualifiers: Severe medical conditions, Severe cognitive impairment

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 27

30 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this study is to determine if a fall preparedness program can reduce the fear of falling in older adults and subsequently improve their function and reduce falls with injury. Participants will perform baseline measures 4 weeks before intervention and again at the start of intervention. They will perform a 12-week intervention and then complete outcome measures again at the conclusion of the program.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on exercise and fall prevention, so it's best to check with the trial organizers or your doctor.

What data supports the effectiveness of the Fall Preparedness Exercise Class treatment?

Research shows that exercise programs, like the Fallproof Balance and Mobility Program, effectively reduce fall risk by improving balance and mobility in older adults. Additionally, group-based exercise programs have been found to lower the incidence of falls compared to non-exercise programs. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Fall Preparedness Program for Preventing Falls safe for humans?

Research on similar exercise programs, like the Seniors' Program for Injury Control and Education, shows that they are generally safe for older adults. These programs often include exercises for strength and balance, and participants are monitored to ensure safety during activities. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How is the Fall Preparedness Exercise Class treatment different from other fall prevention treatments?

The Fall Preparedness Exercise Class is unique because it involves a specific exercise program designed to simulate real-life trips and slips using a treadmill and safety harness, which helps improve balance and reduce falls by training the body to recover from disturbances. ^{4 9 11 12 13}

Research Team

Shannon J Dudash

Principal Investigator

Youngstown State University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for older adults who are concerned about falling. Participants should be able to attend a 12-week fall preparedness exercise class and complete assessments before, at the start, and after the program.

Inclusion Criteria

I am 60 years old or older.

Able to participate in exercise program

Exclusion Criteria

Severe medical condition that prohibits the ability to participate in an exercise program

6CIT score that indicates severely impaired cognition

I am younger than 60 years old.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Baseline Assessment

Participants perform baseline measures including demographic information, ACSM Preparticipation Screening, and various scales

4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

Participants engage in a 12-week fall preparedness program with bi-weekly classes

12 weeks

24 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in fall efficacy and activity level after the intervention

4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Fall Preparedness Exercise Class

Trial Overview The study tests if a fall preparedness program can lessen fear of falling in seniors, improve their physical function, and reduce injuries from falls. It involves baseline measurements, a 12-week class intervention, and post-intervention assessments.

Participant Groups

Group I: Fall Preparedness Class Participants Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants who meet inclusion and exclusion requirements of the study and sign an informed consent.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Youngstown State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

27

Recruited

2,000+

YMCA

Collaborator

Trials

17

Recruited

2,400+

Findings from Research

Falls are a common and serious issue for older adults, and at least 30% of these falls are likely preventable with proper risk management and assessment strategies.

Current practices in Germany do not routinely include structured fall assessments in outpatient and inpatient services, which could lead to legal challenges for institutions that fail to implement adequate fall prevention measures.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Falling in geriatrics. Diagnosis and treatment]. Becker, C., Rapp, K.[2021]

A study involving 10 healthy young adults confirmed that trunk kinematics, specifically trunk flexion angle and angular velocity, remain consistent regardless of whether the safety harness is fixed or free during postural perturbation training on a treadmill.

This finding is significant for developing fall prevention training programs, as it ensures that the harness configuration does not affect the measurement of trunk movements, allowing for reliable assessments of recovery strategies in clinical settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of overhead harness configurations for measuring trunk kinematics during treadmill disturbances. Miller, EJ., Kaufman, KR.[2019]

The Otago exercise program (OEP) significantly improved physical performance and functional capacity in elderly participants, as evidenced by better scores in balance and mobility tests after six months of training.

OEP also led to a significant reduction in the incidence of falls among seniors with a history of falls, making it an effective home-based intervention for fall prevention in this population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized Control Trials on Otago Exercise Program (OEP) to Reduce Falls Among Elderly Community Dwellers in Shahroud, Iran. Dadgari, A., Aizan Hamid, T., Hakim, MN., et al.[2022]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fall arrest strategy training improves upper body response time compared to standard fall prevention exercise in older women: A randomized trial. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pilot Outcomes of a Multicomponent Fall Risk Program Integrated Into Daily Lives of Community-Dwelling Older Adults. [2022]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does a fall prevention educational programme improve knowledge and change exercise prescribing behaviour in health and exercise professionals? A study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reducing the risk of falls among older adults: the Fallproof Balance and Mobility Program. [2011]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of statewide falls prevention efforts with and without group exercise. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pilot comparative effectiveness study of surface perturbation treadmill training to prevent falls in older adults. [2022]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Seniors' Program for Injury Control and Education. [2019]

8. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Falling in geriatrics. Diagnosis and treatment]. [2021]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of overhead harness configurations for measuring trunk kinematics during treadmill disturbances. [2019]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fall initiatives: redesigning best practice. [2019]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

To what extent do older adult community exercise programs in Winnipeg, Canada address balance and include effective fall prevention exercise? A descriptive self-report study. [2020]

12. Estonia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized Control Trials on Otago Exercise Program (OEP) to Reduce Falls Among Elderly Community Dwellers in Shahroud, Iran. [2022]

13. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of a balance and mobility program for older adults at risk of falling: a mixed methods study. [2022]