title: [Effectiveness of ability grouping in structured fall prevention exercise program for frail elderly people].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of ability grouping in a fall prevention structured exercise program for elderly people.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 124 subjects from among 2,582 elderly people aged 70 to 84 years living in the Tsurugaya district in Sendai City. Exclusion criteria were 1) motor fitness scale (MFS) score 9 points or more, 2) severe sensory, cognitive, or 3) physical disorders, and 4) nursing care grade 2 or more. Those ranked in the lower fourth and in the upper 3 fourths of the timed up and go test (TUGT) were each randomly assigned to 3 groups. Subjects in groups A and B had an exercise program for lower and higher fitness subjects separately, whereas all subjects in group C underwent a single exercise program. The exercise program, once a week for 12 weeks, consisted of strength and stability training. TUGT, lateral reach (LR), leg power per body weight and MFS were measured after the intervention and compared with the baseline values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no difference in the baseline characteristics among the groups. For group A, no significant changes in physical fitness measures, for group B a small but significant deterioration in LR, and for group C a small but significant deterioration in LR and TUGT were observed. MFS score improved significantly in all groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ability grouping appeared to be effective for a short-term exercise program in maintaining the physical ability, but the effectiveness did not reach statistical significance in the randomized controlled design.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Saeko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wakai
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimanuki
authors.forename: Kinue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Guo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Xiumin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kaijun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Teruki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saitou
authors.forename: Youhei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Higashi
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haga
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nagatomi
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance