FallFitness Fallprevention Program for Older Adults

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Fall Injury; Self Efficacy; Fall

• Registration Number: NCT06265480
• Lead Sponsor: Dalarna University

Brief Summary

The overall aim with this project is to collaborate with four organisations for retired persons located in a small region of middle Sweden. The project aims to test and evaluate a newly developed group-based fall prevention exercise program regarding the effects and experiences of both leading and participating in the intervention. The design of the study is a randomised controlled trial including a total of 100 participants (60+), 50 participants in the intervention and 50 participants in the control group.

Detailed Description

Research questions of interest in the project are:

1. Can an eight week (eight sessions) high intensity group based fall prevention program increase strength, balance, activity level, quality of life, self-efficacy as well as reduce sedentary behavior, fear of falling and fall frequency in older adults?

2. Can older adults learn fall techniques by participating in an eight-week (eight-session) high intensity group based fall prevention program?

3. What experiences are there from the trained leaders and the participants in the intervention?

4. How can the program be implemented in the organisations for retired persons, facilitators and barriers?

A total of at least 10 volunteers will be recruited from the organisations for retired persons and trained to be instructors of the FallFitness program. These FallFitness instructors will lead the intervention groups in the planned randomised controlled trial.

For the 50 participants randomized to the intervention group a eight program including six different central components, strength, balance, self-efficacy, motor skills, and falling technique will be introduced. Estimation of about ten participants in each group with a total of five groups are planned.

Materials needed are mainly soft judo carpets. The exercise takes place in groups and most of the exercises are done in pairs, which has been a successful concept in previously research on a similar programme, Judo4Balance.

Outcome measures of interest:

Strength, balance, quality of life, activity level, fear of falling, confidence in one's own ability to perform various activities without falling, fall frequency and falling techniques. Further a "train the trainer" approach will be evaluated for implementation and a long term perspective of fallprevention.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2024-02
• Study First Submitted: 2024-02-08
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-02-16
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-02-16
• Study First Posted: 2024-02-20
• Last Update Posted: 2024-02-20
• Study Start: 2024-03-01
• Primary Completion: 2025-07-01
• Study Completion: 2025-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 100

Inclusion Criteria

• 60 years of age
• Fluent in Swedish language in both speech and writing

Exclusion Criteria

• Physically weak, cannot sit upright without support and/or holding up the neck in a lying position and or rolls backwards
• Coronary artery disease and unstable angina
• Recently cataract treatment

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Physical function by Short Physical Performance Battery	Baseline and at two months follow up	Balance, strength and walking

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Self-efficacy (balance confidence)	Baseline and at two months follow up	Falls self-efficacy
Falling techniques	Baseline and at two months follow up	Falling backwards and sideways
EuroQoL-5 Dimension Questionnaire (EQ-5D)	Baseline and at two months follow up	Quality of life questionnaire
Fear of Falling	Baseline and at two months follow up	Questionnaire
Fallfrequency	A total of 12 months falldiary from baseline	Falldiary every month
Handgrip strength	Baseline and at two months follow up	Handgrip strength measured by hand dynamometer

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Marina Arkkukangas; 🇸🇪 Eskilstuna, Sormland, Sweden