title: [Effects of community-based comprehensive fall prevention program on muscle strength, postural balance and fall efficacy in elderly people].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purposes of this study was to develop a comprehensive community-based fall prevention program and to test the effects of the program on the muscle strength, postural balance and fall efficacy for elderly people.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design of this study was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. There were 28 participants in the experimental group and 29 in the control group. The program consisted of balance exercises, elastic resistance exercises and prevention education. The program was provided five times a week for 8 weeks and each session lasted 90 minutes. Data were analyzed using χ²-test, independent t-test and paired t-test using the SPSS program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Muscle strength of the lower extremities, postural balance and fall efficacy scores significantly improved in the experimental group compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that this program can improve lower extremity muscle strength, postural balance and fall efficacy in elders. Therefore, this program is recommended for use in fall prevention programs for elders living in the community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Inje University; International Safe Community Research Center of Busan Metropolitan; Institute for Health Science Research, Busan, Korea. jibai@inje.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jeongyee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School, Inje University; International Safe Community Research Center of Busan Metropolitan, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000842:Ankle / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006615:Hip / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D004856:Postural Balance; D015397:Program Evaluation
keywords: Accidental falls; Aged; Muscle strength; Postural balance