Clinical trial NCT00289458: Aquatic Exercise and Efficacy Enhancement to Decrease Fall Risk in Older Adults With Hip Osteoarthritis
Official title: The Effect of Aquatic Exercise and Aquatic Exercise Combined With Education and Efficacy Enhancement on Improving Indices of Fall Risk in Older Adults With Hip Osteoarthritis: a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE1
Conditions: Arthritis
Keywords: older adults, falls, arthritis, aquatic, exercise
Lead sponsor: University of Saskatchewan
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
First posted: 2006-02-09
Enrollment: 79
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 65
Standard ages: OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The objective of this project is to determine the effect of aquatic exercise and aquatic exercise combined with an education program on decreasing fall risk in older adults with hip osteoarthritis. The hypothesis is that aquatic exercise will improve function, strength and balance and the addition of the education session will enhance confidence in movement.

Detailed description: Older adults with hip osteoarthritis (OA) often experience pain and loss of mobility that significantly impairs their ability to walk, climb stairs, shop or participate in exercise programs. This can result in social isolation, depression and loss of confidence in their ability to manage independently in the community. A decline in physical and psycho-social function leads to increased risk of falling. It is crucial to identify high-risk fallers as well as the best interventions to decrease that risk; hip fractures from falls are devastating, resulting in death or admission to long-term care for the majority who sustain them.

Exercise programs designed to improve balance, strength and mobility can help to improve function and decrease risk of falling. However, individuals with hip OA may have difficulty participating in these programs due to pain. Aquatic exercise offers an activity alternative to improve mobility, strength and decrease fall risk. As well, the addition of a group program designed to enhance confidence in movement may further reduce the risk of falls by improving independence to be more active at home and in the community.

This project will evaluate the effect of aquatic exercise and aquatic exercise combined with a group educational program on decreasing fall risk in older adults with hip OA. Determining optimal fall prevention programs may avert death and loss of quality of life for older adults, clearly an important contribution to preventative health care.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* over age 65
* clinical diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis

Exclusion Criteria:

* medical condition tha significantly decreases functional ability such that not safe to exercise in a community program
* already exercising in a moderate exercise program 2/week or more

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in Balance
timeFrame: baseline and 11 weeks
measure: Change in Chair Stands
timeFrame: baseline and 11 weeks
measure: Change in Walking
timeFrame: baseline and 11 weeks
measure: Change in Falls-Efficacy
timeFrame: baseline and 11 weeks
measure: Change in Dual Task Function
timeFrame: baseline and 11 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in Physical Activity
timeFrame: baseline and 11 weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Saskatoon
country: Canada
facility: College of Kinesiology
state: Saskatchewan
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Saskatchewan
name: Cathy M Arnold, MSc
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: