title: Exercise to prevent falls in older adults: an updated meta-analysis and best practice recommendations.
abstract: This systematic review update includes 54 randomised controlled trials and confirms that exercise as a single intervention can prevent falls (pooled rate ratio 0.84, 95% CI 0.77-0.91). Meta-regression revealed programs that included balance training, contained a higher dose of exercise and did not include walking training to have the greatest effect on reducing falls. We therefore recommend that exercise for falls prevention should provide a moderate or high challenge to balance and be undertaken for at least 2 hours per week on an ongoing basis. Additionally, we recommend that: falls prevention exercise should target both the general community and those at high risk for falls; exercise may be undertaken in a group or home-based setting; strength and walking training may be included in addition to balance training but high risk individuals should not be prescribed brisk walking programs; and other health-related risk factors should also be addressed.
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Division, The George Institute for Global Health, The University of Sydney, Australia. csherrington@georgeinstitute.org.au
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sherrington
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tiedemann
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fairhall
authors.forename: Jacqueline C T
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Close
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lord
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055070:Resistance Training; D012307:Risk Factors; D016138:Walking