Exercise Reduces Falling Risk for Older Adults

A research review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests older adults who exercise may lower their risk of falls by more than a third compared to inactive seniors, reports Reuters Health . "Frailer people should see a health professional for such exercise to be prescribed but fitter people can attend a local gym or community exercise class," said the University of Sydney's Cathie Sherrington."The trick is to find an exercise regimen that you enjoy and will stick to as it fits with your other priorities and commitments." The researchers reviewed findings from 25 countries, covering 59 trials with a total of nearly 13,000 participants. There was "high certainty" that exercise reduces the rate of falls by 23 percent among adults 60 and older. The risk reduction with exercise was similar when considering adults 75 and older, as well as those at a high risk for falls. Balance and functional exercises correlated with a 24 percent reduced risk of falls, while mixing balance and functional workouts with resistance training cut the risk by 34 percent versus sedentary people. Regimens supervised by physical therapists or other health professionals seemed to reduce the risk of falls more effectively than unsupervised workouts.