Physiotherapy Programme, Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Physiotherapy Unit, Sarawak Heart Centre, Sarawak Health Department, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Aging Clin Exp Res. 2024 Jun 5;36(1):125. doi: 10.1007/s40520-024-02759-x.
Conducted physically, supervised group-based falls prevention exercise programs have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the risk of falls among older adults. In this study, we aimed to assess the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of a virtual supervised group-based falls prevention exercise program (WE-SURF™) for community-dwelling older adults at risk of falls.
A preliminary study utilizing virtual discussions was conducted to assess the acceptability of the program among six older adults. Effectiveness was evaluated in a randomized controlled feasibility study design, comprising 52 participants (mean age: 66.54; SD: 5.16), divided into experimental (n = 26) and control (n = 26) groups. The experimental group engaged in a 6-month WE-SURF™ program, while the control group received standard care along with a fall's prevention education session. Feasibility of the intervention was measured using attendance records, engagement rates from recorded videos, dropouts, attrition reasons, and adverse events.
Preliminary findings suggested that WE-SURF™ was acceptable, with further refinements. The study revealed significant intervention effects on timed up and go (TUG) (η2p:0.08; p < 0.05), single leg stance (SLS) (η2p:0.10; p < 0.05), and lower limb muscle strength (η2p:0.09; p < 0.05) tests. No adverse events occurred during the program sessions, and both attendance and engagement rates were high (> 80% and 8/10, respectively) with minimal dropouts (4%). The WE-SURF™ program demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the risk of falls while enhancing muscle strength and balance.
In conclusion, WE-SURF™ was demonstrated to be an acceptable, feasible, and effective virtual supervised group-based exercise program for fall prevention in community-dwelling older adults at risk of falls. With positive outcomes and favourable participant engagement, WE-SURF™ holds the potential for wider implementation. Further research and scaling-up efforts are recommended to explore its broader applicability. (Registration number: ACTRN 12621001620819).
评估一种基于虚拟监督的团体式防跌倒锻炼计划（WE-SURF）对有跌倒风险的社区居住老年人的可接受性、可行性和有效性。
采用虚拟讨论初步研究，评估 6 名老年人对该方案的可接受性。在一项随机对照可行性研究设计中评估了有效性，纳入 52 名参与者（平均年龄：66.54±5.16 岁），分为实验组（n=26）和对照组（n=26）。实验组参加了为期 6 个月的 WE-SURF 计划，而对照组则在接受标准护理的同时参加了一次防跌倒教育课程。干预的可行性通过出席记录、记录视频的参与率、辍学率、退出原因和不良事件来衡量。
初步研究结果表明，WE-SURF 是可以接受的，但需要进一步改进。研究显示，在计时起坐（TUG）（η2p：0.08；p<0.05）、单腿站立（SLS）（η2p：0.10；p<0.05）和下肢肌肉力量（η2p：0.09；p<0.05）测试中，干预有显著效果。在课程期间没有发生不良事件，出勤率和参与率均很高（分别为>80%和 8/10），辍学率很低（4%）。WE-SURF 计划在降低跌倒风险的同时，增强肌肉力量和平衡能力，显示出有效性。
WE-SURF 被证明是一种可接受、可行且有效的虚拟监督的团体式防跌倒锻炼计划，适用于有跌倒风险的社区居住老年人。由于积极的结果和参与者的良好参与，WE-SURF 具有更广泛实施的潜力。建议进一步研究和扩大规模，以探索其更广泛的适用性。（注册号：ACTRN 12621001620819）。
Zotero 插件