Building Strong Foundations: Nonrandomized Interventional Study of a Novel, Digitally Delivered Fall Prevention...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Exercise Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Falls are a significant concern for older adults, leading to injuries and reduced quality of life.
• Traditional fall prevention programs face barriers like convenience and safety, especially in rural areas.
• Web-based interventions offer a promising approach to increase reach and effectiveness in fall risk reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the Strong Foundations exercise program.
• To assess changes in physical function, including posture, balance, and strength.
• To determine the program's impact on fall risk in older adults.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week, iterative, web-based exercise program (Strong Foundations) was implemented.
• The program focused on postural alignment, balance and mobility, and muscular strength.
• A quasi-experimental design assessed changes in physical function among low- and moderate-risk older adults.

Main Results:

• Participants showed significant improvements in the 30-second Chair Stand and Timed Up and Go tests.
• Moderate-risk participants generally exhibited greater improvements than low-risk participants.
• Postural measures improved significantly, with up to 36% gains in 'as tall as possible' posture.

Conclusions:

• The Strong Foundations program effectively improved clinical markers of physical function in older adults.
• The intervention provided deeper insights into posture, strength, and balance improvements.
• Older adults with higher baseline fall risk benefited most from this web-based exercise program.