Author(s): NADAMOTO, M., MURAKAMI, K., NAKATANI, T., Institution: MOMOYAMA GAKUIN UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 308

INTRODUCTION:
Japan’s rapidly aging population has heightened concerns regarding fall-related health issues. Falls can lead to injuries and fear of falling, which in turn reduce physical activity and social participation [1]. Previous fall experience may influence physical confidence and behavioral responses to hazards. This study investigated how fall-prevention training affects physical function and fall-avoidance actions in older adults with and without prior fall experience.
METHODS:
A fall-related survey was conducted in 1,098 Japanese individuals aged 10–90 years. Fall incidence over the past 5 years increased with age (chi-square = 40.6, P = 0.01). Among adults aged ≥65 years, ADL scores were higher in the no-fall group (F = 15.00, P = 0.01), suggesting that greater daily activity is associated with lower fall risk.
An intervention study was then conducted in 23 older adults aged 65–90 years, assigned to a fall-experienced group (A: n = 13) or a no-fall group (B: n = 10). A fall-prevention exercise program was delivered twice weekly for 3 months. Training included lower-limb strengthening, stepping and balance tasks, light-stimulus response drills, coordinated eye–hand–foot tasks, and seated judo ukemi practice. Each 60-minute session was supervised by trained instructors.
Outcome measures included chair-stand strength, a 10-second stepping test, whole-body reaction time, functional reach, hand and foot touch counts to light stimuli, knee lift height, ADL score, and a fall-risk questionnaire.


RESULTS:
Major causes of falls in the fall-experienced group were tripping, missteps, and slipping. No falls occurred during the intervention period. Fall-risk questionnaire scores decreased in both groups (A: 8.4 ± 2.6 → 6.0 ± 1.9; B: 5.5 ± 2.0 → 4.3 ± 1.6; F = 31.3, P = 0.01), indicating improved environmental awareness.
Knee lift height increased in both groups (A: 0.53 ± 0.09 → 0.58 ± 0.09 m; B: 0.53 ± 0.09 → 0.58 ± 0.08 m; F = 15.4, P = 0.01). Hand-touch counts (A: 26.2 ± 9.3 → 33.0 ± 6.8; B: 26.2 ± 9.3 → 33.0 ± 6.8; F = 10.79, P = 0.004) and foot-touch counts (A: 16.2 ± 8.1 → 17.5 ± 3.8; B: 11.7 ± 3.5 → 17.6 ± 3.8) also improved in both groups. No significant changes were observed in lower-limb strength, stepping performance, reaction time, functional reach, or the two-step test.

CONCLUSION:
The reduction in fall-risk questionnaire scores suggests that the program enhanced awareness of environmental hazards in both groups. Improvements in knee lift height and hand/foot touch counts indicate better neuromuscular coordination and faster visual–motor responses, which are essential for protective actions during potential fall situations. The absence of significant changes in strength or mobility may reflect the moderate training intensity and short intervention duration. Nevertheless, gains in rapid protective actions highlight the program’s practical value for community-based fall-prevention efforts. Future studies should examine longer interventions, higher intensity, and larger samples.

References
[1] Daniel Schoene, Claudia Heller. Clin Interv Aging 14, 701–719 (2019)
Contact
nadamoto@andrew.ac.jp