title: [Activity trails, risk of falling, and health-related quality of life. Effects of a 12-week guided intervention].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose was to evaluate the interventional effects of activity trails (courses) on fall risk factors and health-related quality of life (hrQoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 94 subjects (67.7 ± 5.7 years; 29 men, 65 women) completed the following measurements prior to and 12 weeks after the initiation of the activity trail intervention: maximum isometric leg extensors force (Fmax, m3 diagnoses©), gait velocity (GV), and static postural stability (STAB, Zebris FDM©), fall-associated self-efficacy (FALL, FES-I), and hrQoL (SF-36).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 12-week intervention period, the participants increased Fmax (1.63 ± 0.6 vs. 1.70 ± 0.6 N•kg(-1)) and GV (1.06 ± 0.25 vs. 1.11 ± 0.18m•s(-1); p < 0.05). Neither FALL (19.44 ± 3.6 vs. 19.41 ± 4.3 points) nor STAB (84.3 ± 56.4 vs. 79.7 ± 63.1 mm(2)) changed. Additionally, significant improvements in hrQoL regarding vitality (56.3 ± 17.2 vs. 63.2 ± 18.3 points) and mental health (69.4 ± 18.7 vs. 75.5 ± 16.5 points; p < 0.05) were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The improvements in fall-related risk factors and hrQoL may be expected to contribute to fall prevention and psychosocial quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Sportmedizin, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Ginnheimer Landstr. 39, 60487, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland. niederer@sport.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Niederer
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maulbecker-Armstrong
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Banzer
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome