title: Walking can be more effective than balance training in fall prevention among community-dwelling older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of walking on falls among community-dwelling older adults while accounting for exposures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 90 older adults, ranging in age from 65 to 79 years, were allocated into either the walking (brisk walking, n = 50) or the balance (balance and strength training, n = 40) group to participate in a 3-month supervised and 13-month unsupervised fall-prevention program held from 2012 to 2014 in Japan. Falls and trips that occurred during the 16-month period were monitored with a monthly fall calendar. The risk of falls and trips was evaluated by person-year, physically active person-day and person-step.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The walking group showed a significant reduction in the fall risk when evaluated by the falls per physically active person-day (rate ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.19-0.77) and falls per person-step (rate ratio 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.26-0.85) compared with the balance group. In contrast, the number of trips significantly increased with walking, even when evaluated as trips per physically active person-day (rate ratio 1.50, 95% confidence interval 1.12-2.00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings suggest that walking among community-dwelling older adults can be more effective for fall prevention than balance training. However, because walking can induce more trips, walking should not be recommended for older adults who are susceptible to falling or frailty.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Osuka
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Songee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Figueroa
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rafael
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsujimoto
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aiba
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Teaho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking
keywords: accidental falls; aged; exercise; intervention studies; walking