title: Prevalence of falls in elderly women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify prevalence of falls and fear of falling, and to compare functional fitness among elderly women fallers and non-fallers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-eight elderly women participated in this study. Cases of falls and the fear of falling were self-reported by the elderly women, while the functional fitness was measured by a set of functional tests. Mean and standard deviation were used to describe the sample. Independent t-test was used to compare functional fitness between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of falls in this sample was 32.4%. Among women fallers, 40% self-reported a high fear of falling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is recommended that functional and resistance exercises are included in the preventive strategies for reducing risk factors for falls and its determinants in elderly women. Level of Evidence II, Prognostic-Prospective Study.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Physical Education, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscila Regina Rorato
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Vitor
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Physical Education, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Carolina Kovaleski
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Physical Education, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kohler
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Physical Education, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriele Regiane
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Physical Education, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cintia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodacki
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Physical Education, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maressa Priscila
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Krause
keywords: Accidental falls; Aged; Physical fitness