Table 2 Summary of exercise programme characteristics and effects on falls

[9]

Independent

HEP 3×/week

Variable levels

HEP, 30 min

Approximately 72 h over 12 months

1.4 h

Lower annual falls rate in IG than CG, difference = 0.47; 95 % CI [0.04, 0.90]

Walking 3×/week

[17, 19]

Combination

Group, 1×/week

Unspecified

Group, 1 h

Approximately 15 h plus unspecified HEP over 15 weeks

1 h

IRR for exercise alone = 0.79, 95 % CI [0.67, 0.94]

HEP, 7×/week

[65]

Group

1×/week

Aerobic: ‘moderate’

1.5 h

Approximately 24 h over 16 weeks

1.5 h

At 6 months, IRR = 0.20, 95 % CI [0.04, 0.91] at 12 months, IRR = 0.45, 95 % CI [0.16, 1.77]

Strength: ‘progressive resistive exercises’

Balance: progressive in difficulty

[39]

Group

1×/week

Balance group: specific, progressive balance task workstations

1 h

Approximately 10 h over 10 weeks

1 h

Significant reductions in falls in balance group (p = 0.000) and CG (p = 0.024) at 3 months

CG: non-specific balance exercise with increasing speed and combinations

[61]

Group

2×/week

‘Low intensity’

1.5 h

Approximately 15 h over 5 weeks

3 h

IRR at 7 months = 0.54, 95 % CI [0.36, 0.79]

[10]

Group

2×/week

Unspecified

40 min

Approximately 26.6 h over 20 weeks

1.3 h

During intervention, IG had 7 falls, CG had 8 falls

[22]

Independent

2×/week

Variable levels

Approximately 15 min

Approximately 12 h over 6 months

0.5 h

IRR = 0.72, 95 % CI [0.33–1.57]

[35]

Group

Extensive intervention, 2×/week

Extensive intervention: progression according to RPE and ACSM guidelines

Extensive intervention, 40–50 min

Extensive intervention: approximately 60–72 h over 12 months

Extensive intervention, 1.2–1.4 h minimal intervention: unspecified

Extensive intervention: RR = 1.03, 95 % CI [0.78, 1.35] minimal intervention: RR = 0.90, 95 % CI [0.69, 1.17]

Minimal intervention, 1 HEP training class

Minimal intervention: unspecified

Minimal intervention: unspecified

Minimal intervention: unspecified

[8]

Independent

HEP, 3×/week

Variable levels

HEP, 30 min

Approximately 144 h over 2 years

1.4 h

RH for all falls in IG = 0.69, 95 % CI [0.49, 0.97]

Walking, 3×/week

[43]

Independent

HEP, 3×/week

Variable

HEP, 30 min

Approximately 78 h over 12 months

1.5 h

IRR = 0.54, 95 % CI [0.32, 0.90]

Walking, 2×/week

[44]

Independent

HEP, 3×/week

Variable

HEP, 30 min

Approximately 78 h over 12 months

1.5 h

IRR = 0.70, 95 % CI [0.59, 0.84]

Walking, 2×/week

[4]

Group

3×/week

Endurance group, 75 % HR reserve ×30–35 min

1 h

Approximately 72–78 h over 24–26 weeks

2.8–3.3 h

RH of time to first fall = 0.53, 95 % CI [0.30, 0.91]

Strength group, 2 sets × 10 reps; 1st set 50–60 % 1RM, 2nd set 75 % 1RM

E + S group, 20 min endurance, 1 set 75 % 1RM

[27]

Group

3×/week

Unspecified

40 min

Approximately 40 h over 5 months

1.9 h

At 1.5 years, OR = 0.13, 95 % CI [0.06, 0.273]

[33]

Group

6×/week

Unspecified

1 h

Approximately 312 h over 12 months

6 h

Injurious falls reduced by 44 % in CG, 75 % in tai chi villagers and 94 % in tai chi practitioners

[37]

Group

3×/week

Low intensity for 1st week (RPE = 11), moderate thereafter (RPE = 13)

1.5 h

Approximately 27 h over 6 weeks

4.5 h

Baseline fallers reporting no falls at follow-up: IG = 87 %; CG = 34.5 %

[47]

Group

3×/week

Strength, 12 reps, sets and resistance increased

1.5 h

Approximately 54 h over 12 weeks

4.5 h

Lower activity-adjusted 3-month fall rate in IG than CG (6 falls/1,000 h activity vs. 16.2 falls/1,000 h, p = 0.03)

Endurance: up to 70 % HR reserve

Balance: ‘increasing in difficulty’

[53]

Combination

IG: class, 1×/week

IG: variable levels in HEP; more challenging in class

IG: class, 1 h

IG: approximately 72 h over 36 weeks

2 h

IRR = 0.46, 95 % CI [0.34, 0.63]

HEP, 2×/week

CG: low-intensity HEP

HEP, 20–40 min

CG: unspecified

CG: HEP ×2/week

CG, unspecified

[56]

Combination

Group, 1×/fortnight

Resistance training: ‘moderate’

Group, 1 h

Approximately 49 h over 6 months

1.9 h

After 20 months 13.6 % in IG fell vs. 54.5 % in CG

HEP, 3×/week

Tai chi: progressive duration, up to 30 min

HEP, 30 min

[64]

Combination

3×/week

Unspecified

1 h

Approximately 45 h over 15 weeks

3 h

Mean number of falls and injurious falls reduced in telecommunication and community groups, p < 0. 01 (values not given)

[52]

Group

3×/week

Aerobic: ‘moderate’

1 h

Approximately 156 h over 12 months

3 h

IRR = 0.75, 95 % CI [0.52, 1.09]

Strength: ‘progressive resistance training’

Balance: progressive difficulty

[63]

Group

3×/week

Tai chi: unspecified resistance group: ‘medium’

Unspecified

Unspecified over 12 months

Unspecified

Numbers of falls during study period: tai chi group, 15/60; resistance group, 24/60; CG, 31/60 (non-significant differences)

[29]

Independent

3×/week

Strength, 1–2 sets × 15 reps, ‘moderate intensity’

Unspecified

Unspecified over 6 months

Unspecified

At 12 months, 0 falls in IG, 1 fall in CG

[32]

Independent

3×/week

3 sets × 8 reps, 60–80 % 1RM

Unspecified

Unspecified over 10 weeks

Unspecified

RR = 0.96, 95 % CI [0.67, 1.36]

[42]

Group

Exercise group, 3×/week

‘Low intensity’

Both groups, 1 h

Exercise group: approximately 156 h over 12 months

Exercise group, 3 h exercise and CBT group, 2 h

No significant difference in the number of fallers between all groups at 12 months (p = 0.53)

Exercise and CBT group, 2×/week

Exercise and CBT group: approximately 104 h over 12 months

[2]

Combination

Group, 1×/week

Unspecified

Group, 1 h

Approximately 37 h plus HEP over 12 months

0.7 h (excluding HEP)

IRR = 0.60, 95 % CI [0.36, 0.99]

HEP, variable

[62]

Combination

Tai chi: group, 2×/week

Tai chi: progressively more difficult forms

Tai chi: group, 22.5 min

Tai chi: approximately 64 h over 15 weeks

4.3 h

RR of multiple falls for tai chi group = 0.53, 95 % CI [0.32, 0.86]

HEP, ×7/week

Balance: sway targets progressed; floor movements added

HEP, 30 min

Balance: approximately 11.25 h over 15 weeks

Balance, 1×/week

Balance, 45 min

[28]

Combination

Group, 1×/week

Strength: gravity-resisted

Group, 2 h

Approximately 64 h over 17 weeks

3.8 h

Mean number of falls significantly lower in IG than CG, p = 0.036

HEP, 7×/week

HEP, 15–20 min

[30]

Combination

IG: group, 2×/week

IG: aerobic, 70–80 % HRmax

IG: group, 1 h

IG: approximately 203 h over 18 months

IG, 2.6 h CG, 1 h

RR of falls = 0.54, 95 % CI [0.35, 0.84] RR of injurious falls = 0.33, 95 % CI [0.15, 0.74]

HEP, 2×/week

Strength, 1–3 sets × 8–15 reps

HEP, 20 min

CG, 1×/week

HEP, 1–2 sets × 6–15 reps

CG, 1 h

CG: approximately 78 h over 18 months

CG, 5–10 min walking at 50–60 % HRmax

[55]

Combination

Class, 1×/month; unspecified HEP

Class: unspecified

Class, 1 h

Approximately 17 h group exercise over 17 months

Unspecified

Hazard ratio for time to first fall in exercise group = 0.67; 95 % CI [0.42–1.07]

HEP: ‘gentle’

[20]

Combination

Group, 2×/week

Unspecified

Group, 1 h

Approximately 32 h over 16 weeks

2 h

Falls in fitness group: RR = 0.64, 95 % CI [0.38, 1.06]

HEP, 7×/week

[13]

Independent

Unspecified

Individualised

Unspecified

Unspecified over 6 months

Unspecified

RR = 0.21, 95 % CI [0.06, 0.67]