• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.533-539
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 12weeks complexed lower body muscle-strengthening exercise program on fall risk in elderly women. Twenty subjects volunteered to participate who use a welfare center in W city For the study we divided into two groups: exercise group (EC, n=10, mean age:$69.6{\pm}2.2$), comparative group(CG, n=10, mean age:$71.3{\pm}4.6$). In order to investigate the effect of lower body muscle-strengthening program on the degree of risk of fall. It reached a conclusion as follows after having applied BBS (Berg Balance Scale) and OLST (One-Leg Stance Test) to examine the degree of risk of fall. As a result of changes in BBS and OLST, there were significant differences between EG and CG for each test(p<.00). Therefore, it confirmed that the application of complexed lower body muscle-strengthening program to the elderly who have a high risk of fall influences the risk of fall positively.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.19-29
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• 2019

Purpose : To determine whether an advanced rehabilitation therapy combined with conventional rehabilitation therapy consisting of sensorimotor exercises that would be superior to a usual treadmill training in gait ability and fall risk in subacute stroke patients. Methods : Thirty subjects randomly assigned to either multi-sensorimotor training group (n=19) or treadmill training group (n=18). Both groups first performed conventional physical therapy for 30 min, after which the multi-sensorimotor training group performed multi-sensorimotor training for 30 min, and the treadmill training group performed treadmill gait training for 30 min. Both groups performed the therapeutic interventions 5 days per week for 8 weeks. Gait ability was evaluated using the GAITRite system and Fall risk was measured using the Biodex Balance system before intervention and after 8 weeks. Results : There were no intergroup differences between demographic and clinical characteristics at baseline (p>.05). Both groups showed a significant improvement in gait ability (p<.05) and Fall risk (p<.05). In particular, the multi-sensorimotor training group showed more significant differences in gait velocity (p=.05), step length (p=.01) and stride length (p=.014) than the treadmill training group. Conclusion : The multi-sensorimotor training program performed on multiple types of sensory input had beneficial effect on gait ability. A large-scale randomized controlled study is needed to prove the effect of this training.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.91-101
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of falls and identify risk factors associated with falls. Methods: The participants were 233 community-dwelling elderly people in two cities. Data were collected by interviewing the elderly with structured questionnaires from May to June, 2012. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were performed using SPSS version 17.0. Results: Age, educational level, living arrangement, health status, the use of assistive devices, the number of medication, hypertension, arthralgia, dizziness, fall efficacy, fear of falling, activity of daily living, and quality of life were significant associated with fall experience. Through multiple logistic regression analysis, arthralgia, dizziness, fall efficacy, and fear of falling were identified as significant predictors of falls. Conclusion: It is important to identify the risk factors for falls among the elderly living in community. Fall prevention interventions should be multifactorial, especially for the elderly who were identified as the high risk group.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.1-15
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess the fall risk factors. Method: The subjects were 87 persons who were older than 65 years living at 28 nursing home in Seoul and Gyunggi province. Subjects were interviewed using RAFS II for intrinsic factor and the environmental factor were assessed using a structured questionnaire from Oct. to Dec. in 2004. The data were analyzed by SPSS(ver. 12.0) programs, using descriptive statistics, $x^2$-test, and t-test. Result: The 37.9% of the subjects experienced the fall, and its average number is $1.94\pm1.75$. The Women's experience of the fall was higher than that of the men, but it was no significant difference with gender. There was no significant difference with the age and duration of living. The mean of the intrinsic risk factor was 13.38 in total score 39 points marks on the RAFS II scales. The intrinsic risk factor score of the fallen group 15.71 was significantly higher than the non-fallen group 12.10. The variables of recent fall experience(t=4.72, p=0.000) and urinary dysfunction(t=2.64, p=0.010) was significantly higher than the non-fallen group. The highest variable of the intrinsic factor was the age and the variables of drug intake, balance, chronic disease, recent fall experience, urinary dysfunction were followed in order. The mean of the environmental risk factor was 0.24 points. No significant differences were shown in environmental risk factor between the fallen and the non-fallen groups. To the fallen group, the place of entrance was the highest risky environmental factor. To see in area dimension, the floor surfaces was the highest risky environmental factor and equipment and illumination factor was the following risky elements in order. In the total score of environmental risk factors based on the ares, the fallen group was 0.26 and the non-fallen group was 0.24, but there were no significant differences between the groups. Conclusion: This results suggested that visual protection strategy, set up the safety device in the place of entrance and inner stairway, bathroom and nonskid mat in the nursing home would be contribute to the prevention of the fall for the elderly.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.41-50
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the correlation of cognitive function and fall-risk behavioral factors. Methods: The elderly over than 65 year-old with and without cognitive impairment were recruited in four different regional areas. Total 43 data of K-MoCA and FaB were collected. Pearson correlation of total scores of K-MoCA and FaB was analyzed using SPSS 22. Correlation between total score of K-MoCA and each item of FaB which describes the fall-risk behaviors was analyzed as well. Results: The cognitive function was statistically positive correlated with the fall-related behaviors in pearson correlation analysis (p<.01). Nine items of total 30 items of FaB was significantly correlated with total score of K-MoCA. Conclusion: Fall-risk behaviors were decreased as the cognitive level was improved. If the cognitive function was vulnerable, the insight to fall-risk behaviors deficits and various fall-related behavioral factors exits. The high fall-risk behaviors were correlated with cognitive function, so that the cognitive level should be considered in fall prevention intervention in Occupational Therapy.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.244-252
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to develop a knowledge scale of risk factors for fall among community-dwelling older adults. Further, the validity and reliability of the scale was developed. Methods: A preliminary scale was developed through content validity by five experts and targeted subjects using the CVI (Content Validity Index). Following the establishment of content validity, the scale was used with 359 community-dwelling older adults to further establish both validity and reliability of the scale. Specifically, construct validity using known-group comparison technique, and reliability using Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ were established. Results: After content validity testing, 44 preliminary items were selected. Construct validity was established by known group-comparison, in which scores between the fall and no fall groups were compared. The Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ of the final scale was .83. Conclusion: Reliability and validity of the scale were confirmed. This tool may be used for measuring knowledge of fall risk factor for the community-dwelling older adults.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.282-293
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• 2012

Purpose: The study aimed to examine the effects of Tai Chi fall prevention program on risk factors for fall, fear of falling, and quality of life among elderly women living in the community. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with non-equivalent control group was used. Sixty participants were recruited from 4 senior citizen centers in a city. The 1-hour Tai Chi fall prevention program was provided three times a week for 6 months to the experimental group. Risk factors for fall including fracture risk and bone mineral density, fear of falling, and quality of life were measured at the baseline and at 6 months. Results: Participants were 75 years old in average. At the completion of 6 month program, the experimental group showed lower fracture risks, less fear of falling, and higher scores in several domains of quality of life than the control group, after controlling for the pretest scores, fall experience, and regular exercise habit. Conclusion: The Tai Chi fall prevention program was safely applied to elderly women with improvement in fracture risk, fear of falling, and several domains of quality of life. Future study is necessary to confirm the longer effect of the Tai Chi program for the prevention of fall episodes.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.203-214
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study to develop a fringed fall prevention program based on King's goal attainment theory and education. This study is applied to the personal, interpersonal, and social systems of fall high-risk patients to test its effects. Methods: This study was a nonequivalent control group pre- and post-test design. There were 52 fall high-risk patients in the experimental group and 45 in the control group. The experimental group received six sessions, with the group sessions lasting 60 minutes and the individual sessions lasting 20~30 minutes. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, an ${\chi}^2-test$, a paired sample t-test, and a Wilcoxon signed-ranks test utilizing IBM SPSS software. Results: For the 3-month intervention period, the fall prevention program was found to be particularly effective for patients in the experimental group (from 3.38 to 1.69 per 1000 patient days; p=.044), as opposed to the control group (from 1.94 to 1.49 per 1000 patient days; p=.300). For the 6-month follow up period, the fall prevention program was again found to be effective for patients in the experimental group (from 3.26 to 0.76 per 1000 patient days; p=.049) compared to the control group (from 1.98 to 1.01 per 1000 patient days; p=.368). Conclusion: These results indicate that the fringed fall prevention program is very effective in reducing falls, not only during the intervention period, but also after the intervention period has ended. We can therefore recommend this program for use concerning fall high-risk patients in long-term care hospitals.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2021

Understanding sciences behind fall-related hip fractures in older adults is important to develop effective interventions for prevention. The aim of this review is to provide biomechanical understanding and prevention strategies of falls and related hip fractures in older adults, in order to guide future research directions from biomechanical perspectives. While most hip fractures are due to a fall, a few of falls are injurious causing hip fractures, and most falls are non-injurious. Fall mechanics are important in determining injurious versus non-injurious falls. Many different biomechanical factors contribute to the risk of hip fracture, and effects of each individual factors are known well. However, combining effects, and correlation and causation among the factors are poorly understood. While fall prevention interventions include exercise, vision correction, vitamin D intake and environment modification, injury prevention strategies include use of hip protectors, compliant flooring and safe landing strategies, vitamin D intake and exercise. While fall risk assessments have well been established, limited efforts have been made for injury risk assessments. Better understanding is necessary on the correlation and causation among factors affecting the risk of falls and related hip fractures in older adults. Development of the hip fracture risk assessment technique is required to establish more efficient intervention models for fall-related hip fractures in older adults.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.149-159
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to identify falls and related risks of hospitalized patients in order to provide an baseline data to develop effective nursing intervention programs for fall prevention. Methods: The data on 120 patients who experienced falls from 2010 to 2013 during their hospitalization were collected from the patient' electronic medical records of an university hospital. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics using SPSS/WIN 20.0. Results: Over 60% of the patients who experienced falls during their hospitalization was 65 years or older, and most of them had hypertension. Majority of the subjects needed help to perform daily activities (64%) and complained of general weakness (49.2%). Prior to the falls, the patients were taking average 2.52 medications to treat hypertension. The Fall accident was mostly frequently occurred in their hospital room (59.2%), or in bed (44.2%). The patients aged 70 years and older were significantly less alert than younger group, and taking more cardiovascular medications. Most fall risk factors were not significantly different for age, gender, and department category. Conclusion: The study findings suggest the need to emphasize the nurses to be more actively aware of fall risk factors and to provide aggressive interventions for preventing falls in hospitalized patients.