Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Youngwook Kim, Michael N. Vakula, David A. E. Bolton, Christopher J. Dakin, Brennan J. Thompson, Timothy A. Slocum, Masaru Teramoto, Eadric Bressel
Summary: This study reviewed and evaluated the comparative effectiveness of various exercise-based interventions on reactive balance in older adults, and found that task-specific reactive balance exercise could be the optimal intervention for improving reactive balance in older adults.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Tatiana Sampaio, Samuel Encarnacao, Olga Santos, Diogo Narciso, Joao P. Oliveira, Jose E. Teixeira, Pedro Forte, Jorge E. Morais, Catarina Vasques, Antonio Miguel Monteiro
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis found that Pilates training has a significant effect on improving balance in older adults. The findings provide evidence for the value of Pilates training as an intervention to enhance balance in the elderly population.
Review
Orthopedics
Weronika Grabowska, Wren Burton, Matthew H. Kowalski, Robert Vining, Cynthia R. Long, Anthony Lisi, Jeffrey M. Hausdorff, Brad Manor, Dennis Munoz-Vergara, Peter M. Wayne
Summary: Falls in older adults are a significant public health concern. Multimodal chiropractic care may have a positive influence on fall risk, but there is a lack of high-quality research evidence.
BMC MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Rafael N. Ferreira, Nuno Ferrete Ribeiro, Joana Figueiredo, Cristina P. Santos
Summary: Humans' ability to recover balance in response to gait perturbations is negatively affected by aging, increasing the risk of slip and trip events leading to falls. Traditional exercise-based interventions have inconsistent results in reducing fall rates, while perturbation-based balance training (PBT) shows promise in preventing falls by improving reactive stability and fall-resisting skills. This review surveys different methods used in scientific literature to induce artificial slips and trips in healthy adults during treadmill and overground walking, aiming to bridge the gap between laboratory and real-life falls.
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Fuzhong Li, Peter Harmer, Elizabeth Eckstrom, Barbara E. Ainsworth, Kathleen Fitzgerald, Jan Voit, Li-Shan Chou, Fei Li Welker, Shana Needham
Summary: Findings from the updated systematic review and meta-analysis show inconclusive evidence regarding the effectiveness of exercise interventions in reducing falls among older adults with cognitive impairment. While some studies demonstrate a significant reduction in fall rates, most trials do not show substantial effects. Concerns about bias in the included studies and the overall low quality of evidence suggest that current findings are insufficient to provide evidence-based recommendations for clinical practice.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Larissa Donatoni da Silva, Agnes Shiel, Caroline McIntosh
Summary: Pilates may be effective in decreasing the risk of falls in older adults. Pilates intervention was found to improve functional mobility, mobility, gait, fear of falling and postural stability and therefore there is some evidence to suggest that Pilates reduces certain risk factors for falls in healthy older adults. However, there is an absence of high-quality evidence in regards to the impact of Pilates on reducing falls and further robust RCTs are needed.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Sport Sciences
Michael Adams, Katharina Gordt-Oesterwind, Martin Bongartz, Samuel Zimmermann, Svenja Seide, Volker Braun, Michael Schwenk
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effect of general and structured physical activity on lower limb strength, postural balance, and falls in middle-aged adults. The study found that structured physical activity interventions improve strength and balance outcomes related to functional impairments and falls.
SPORTS MEDICINE-OPEN
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Moran Gilat, Pieter Ginis, Demi Zoetewei, Joni De Vleeschhauwer, Femke Hulzinga, Nicholas D'Cruz, Alice Nieuwboer
Summary: The analysis found that exercise and training can be beneficial in reducing freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease patients, with dedicated training aimed at reducing FOG episodes or ameliorating the underlying correlates of FOG showing moderate effectiveness. Generic exercises, however, were not as effective in reducing FOG severity.
NPJ PARKINSONS DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Amanda Bates, Susan Furber, Cathie Sherrington, Paul van den Dolder, Karen Ginn, Adrian Bauman, Kirsten Howard, Michelle Kershaw, Lisa Franco, Cathy Chittenden, Anne Tiedemann
Summary: A new approach of teaching home exercise through group-based workshops delivered by physiotherapists did not significantly reduce the rate of falls but showed significant improvement in fear of falling and gait speed.
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Diane Brown, Caroline Simpkins, Feng Yang
Summary: This review aimed to summarize the existing literature on the effects of perturbation-based balance training on falls and fall risk factors in people with stroke. The results showed inconclusive evidence supporting the reduction in falls and improvements in fall risk factors from perturbation-based balance training among stroke patients. More high-quality studies are needed to further determine the effects of this training on reducing fall risk in this population.
CLINICAL BIOMECHANICS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pairaya Sitthiracha, Wichai Eungpinichpong, Uraiwan Chatchawan
Summary: The progressive step marching exercise (PSME) program showed significant improvements in balance ability, lower limb muscle strength, quality of life, and fear of falling in the elderly compared to a control group.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Kathryn M. Sibley, Sonia M. Thomas, Areti Angeliki Veroniki, Myanca Rodrigues, Jemila S. Hamid, Chantelle C. Lachance, Elise Cogo, Paul A. Khan, John J. Riva, Kednapa Thavorn, Heather MacDonald, Jayna Holroyd-Leduc, Fabio Feldman, Gillian D. Kerr, Susan B. Jaglal, Sharon E. Straus, Andrea C. Tricco
Summary: Through systematic reviews, the most effective types of exercise for fall prevention in older adults have been identified. Network meta-analysis revealed that the combination of anticipatory control, dynamic stability, functional stability limits, reactive control, and flexibility had the highest likelihood of being effective in reducing the number of fallers. These findings can guide evidence-informed exercise recommendations and program design.
EXPERIMENTAL GERONTOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Nikoletta Daponte, George Valasoulis, Georgios Michail, Ioulia Magaliou, Athina-Ioanna Daponte, Antonios Garas, Ioanna Grivea, Dimitrios P. Bogdanos, Alexandros Daponte
Summary: Dynamic adaptations in global health during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have led to the increased use of self-sampling for cervical screening, which plays a crucial role in improving screening uptake and coverage. Self-sampling is an important component of the WHO's global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer and has the potential to reduce health disparities. However, there is a need for effective strategies to ensure follow-up testing and management for individuals with positive self-sampling results.
Article
Respiratory System
Marla K. Beauchamp, Cindy Ellerton, Renata Kirkwood, Dina Brooks, Julie Richardson, Roger S. Goldstein, Stewart Pugsley, Diana Hatzoglou
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a home-based fall prevention exercise program for older adults with COPD. Results showed improvements in balance measures and increased exercise adherence among participants.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Marissa H. G. Gerards, Rik G. J. Marcellis, Martijn Poeze, Antoine F. Lenssen, Kenneth Meijer, Rob A. de Bie
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the effects of a three-session PBT protocol on balance control, daily life falls, and fear of falling among older adults, as well as assess the acceptability of the intervention.