title: The effect of aquatic exercise and education on lowering fall risk in older adults with hip osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of aquatic exercise and education on fall risk factors in older adults with hip osteoarthritis (OA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-nine adults, 65 years of age or older with hip OA and at least 1 fall risk factor, were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: aquatics and education (AE; aquatic exercise twice a wk with once-a-wk group education), aquatics only (A; 2 wk aquatic exercise) and control (C; usual activity). Balance, falls efficacy, dual-task function, functional performance (chair stands), and walking performance were measured pre- and postintervention or control period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant improvement in fall risk factors (full-factorial MANCOVA, baseline values as covariates; p = .038); AE improved in falls efficacy compared with C and in functional performance compared with A and C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of aquatic exercise and education was effective in improving fall risk factors in older adults with arthritis.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Cathy M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Faulkner
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D004856:Postural Balance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013550:Swimming