Evaluation of Strong & Steady - Fall Preventive Group Exercise Program

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of Strong and Steady (S&S) group exercise on fall risk and physical function among community-dwelling older adults over 12 months. A pre-post test study deign will be used.

Detailed Description
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The S&S group exercise program builds on the Otago and FaME exercise programs which have shown to be effective in preventing falls. Strong and steady has been adapted to more functionally fit older people. The study period will be one year. Due to the corona pandemic all S&S groups in Norway have been closed. Due to this all participants have had a break from their exercise program for more than 6 months and can be seen av new participants to the exercise groups. Participants that are about to start in a S&S group in municipalities in Trøndelag will be asked to participate in this study. They will go through tests of muscle strength and balance in addition to questionnaires at baseline and after 6 and 12 months of exercise. Where possible the participants will go through the same tests 1 month before they start to exercise in addition to the three other test timepoints.

Official Title
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Evaluation of Strong & Steady: A Group Exercise Program for Preventing Functional Decline and Falls Among Community Dwelling Older Adults

Conditions
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Aged

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Strong & Steady exercise program


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Able to get to the training facilities on their own Able to walk without a walking aid indoors Exclusion Criteria: Diagnosed with dementia

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention<br>Will start a Strong & Steady group exercise programme immediately after baseline testing. | Behavioral: Strong & Steady exercise program<br>* The community-based group exercise program S&S, with strengthening and balance exercise as the main components. The participants will attend a once-weekly, one hour supervised session. The exercises that will be used can be found in the S&S handbook which includes different difficulty levels. All instructors are volunteers and have completed the S&S education. Each exercise session will consist of a warm-up (5-8 min.), endurance exercises (10-15 min.), strength exercises (15 min.), balance exercises (20 min.) and a cool down/stretching (5 min.). In addition to attending the group exercises, the participants will be taught and encouraged to do home exercises twice a week from hand out leaflets that can be found at www.sterkogstodig.no.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 30 sec chair rise | Change in number of stands from a chair managed within a time frame of 30 seconds. | Baseline and 3 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Short Physical Performance Battery total score | Includes 5x Sit-to-stand, 4 meters walk test and 3 different 10 sec stance positions. Change in total score (0-12 points). | Baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months | 
| Number of falls | Number of falls will be collected by daily calendars collected every month | 12 months | 
| The Short Falls Efficacy Scale-International | The Short Falls Efficacy Scale-International (Short FES-I) questionnaire will be used to assess fear of falling. The total score range from 7 (no concern about falling) to 28 (severe concern about falling). Change in total score will be assessed. | Baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months | 
| Everyday physical activity | Axivity activity sensors fixed to the lower back ang thigh will be used to measure everyday physical activity. Change in time spent doing physical activity will be assessed. | One week monitoring at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months | 
| 30 sec chair rise | Change in number of stands from a chair managed within a time frame of 30 seconds. | Baseline, 6 and 12 months | 
| Four square step test | Time spent doing a sequence of moving through four squares back and fourth. | Baseline, 6 and 12 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Exercise, Fall prevention