Effect of an Exercise Program on Risk of Fall in a Community Dwelling Older Adults

Background: Falls are a problem among the elderly population, it is known that currently about 30% of people over 65 years falls every year. The European Union estimates a cost of € 281 per inhabitant per year and a cost of € 25 billion per year for health care1 which translates into a significant economic impact. The World Health Organization2 argues that it is possible to reduce these costs through prevention and health promotion strategies. For this, it is important to raise awareness, evaluate risk factors and identify and implement intervention programs. Objective: To test the effect of an exercise program on the prevention of risk of fall. Methods: This study, which lasted 4 months, was experimental, prospective. The experimental group (EG) performed an exercise program and the control group (CG) maintained their usual routine. For the measurement and evaluation of the variables under study, were used: sociodemographic data questionnaire, self-efficacy for exercise scale, Portuguese version of the falls efficacy scale (FES), 10m walking speed (WS), Timed Up & Go test (TUG), step test and Hercules® Force Platform (static balance). A significance level of 5% (p ≤ 0.05) was considered for all comparisons.