Prospective association between physical activity and falls in community-dwelling older women.
OBJECTIVE
To explore associations between physical activity and the risk of falls and fractured bones in community-dwelling older women.


METHODS
A prospective observational survey with three and six-year follow-ups. The sample included 8188 healthy, community-dwelling women, aged 70-75 years in 1996, who completed surveys as participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Women who reported a recent serious injury from falling were excluded. Outcomes were reports of a fall to the ground, injury from a fall, and a fractured bone in 1999 and 2002. The main predictor variable was physical activity level in 1996, categorised on the basis of weekly frequency as none/very low, low, moderate, high and very high. Covariates were demographic and health-related variables. Logistic regression models were computed separately for each outcome in 1999 and 2002.


RESULTS
In multivariable models, very high physical activity was associated with a decreased risk of reporting a fall in 1999 (odds ratio (OR) 0.67; 95% CI 0.47 to 0.95) and in 2002 (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.43 to 0.96). High/very high physical activity was associated with a decreased risk of a fractured bone in 2002 (OR 0.53; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.83). No significant association was found between physical activity and injury from a fall.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that at least daily moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity is required for the primary prevention of falls to the ground and fractured bones in women aged 70-75 years.
Heesch
K C
KC
School of Human Movement Studies, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. kheesch@hms.uq.edu.au
Byles
J E
JE
Brown
W J
WJ
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors