Long-term effects of self-reported physical function and disability after participation in an individually adjusted and specific progressive balance training programme for older adults with fear of falling and tendency to fall

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flow chart, number of persons who reported an interest in the study, randomisation and number of participants with follow-up directly after the intervention and at six and 12 month after the intervention.

Table 1. Demographic data for the participants in the exercise group and the control group.

Variable	Exercise group (n = 38)	Control group (n = 21)
Age, mean (min–max)	76 (67–93)	78 (69–91)
Gender (female/male), n (%)	25 (66%)/13 (34%)	17 (81%)/4 (19%)
Household status (living alone/together), n (%)	18 (47%)/20 (53%)	12 (57%)/9 (43%)
Living situation (house/apartment), n (%)	2 (5%)/36 (95%)	1 (5%)/20 (95%)
Body mass index (kg/m^2), median (min–max)	26 (21–41)	25 (20–39)
Mini mental state examination, median (min–max)	28 (24–30)	29 (26–30)
Number of prescribed medications, median (min-max)	2 (0–12)	2 (0–9)
Diagnosis
Diabetes yes, n (%)	6 (16%)	2 (10%)
Hypertension yes, n (%)	18 (47%)	9 (43%)
Stroke yes, n (%)	3 (8%)	1 (5%)
Myocardial infraction yes, n (%)	2 (5%)	2 (10%)
Heart failure yes, n (%)	1 (3%)	2 (10%)
Angina yes, n (%)	2 (5%)	4 (19%)
Fear of falling yes/no, %	87%/13%*	84%/16%*
Experienced a fall during the last year yes, n (%)	34 (90%)	19 (90%)

* Missing value, Exercise group n = 4 and Control group n = 2.

Table 2. Intention-to-treat analysis including all randomised participants (n = 59) with a mixed model with SIDAK’s post hoc test.

	Mean (95% CI)
	Exercise group				Control group						p-value (interaction time*group)
	Baseline	3 months	9 months	15 months	Baseline	3 months	9 months	15 months	df	F
Late Life Function and Disability Instrument
Function component	n = 38	n = 32	n = 31	n = 30	n = 21	n = 21	n = 20	n = 18
Overall	58.4 (56.2–60.6)	64.1 (61.5–66.6)	61.0 (58.1–63.9)	60.6 (57.5–63.7)	55.5 (52.6–58.5)	57.4 (54.6–60.3)	58.9 (54.9–62.8)	58.4 (54.1–62.6)	3	5.819	.002
Upper extremity	73.7 (70.1–77.3)	78.8 (74.5–83.0)	77.2 (72.4–82.1)	77.1 (72.0–82.1)	68.3 (62.5–74.1)	71.9 (66.9–76.8)	71.1 (64.9–77.4)	70.7 (64.5–76.9)	3	0.157	.925
Basic lower extremity	65.9 (63.0–68.8)	73.8 (69.9–77.7)	69.3 (65.4–73.2)	69.9 (65.8–74.1)	62.8 (59.0–66.5)	64.9 (61.4–68.3)	68.7 (63.0–74.2)	68.3 (62.7–73.8)	3	5.778	.002
Advance lower extremity	51.1 (47.9–54.3)	58.9 (54.7–63.0)	54.8 (49.8–59.8)	52.9 (47.7–58.2)	48.3 (43.6–53.0)	9.3 (43.9–54.6)	52.5 (46.3–58.7)	49.5 (41.8–57.2)	3	5.178	.003
Disability component	n = 38	n = 34	n = 31	n = 30	n = 21	n = 21	n = 20	n = 18
Overall limitation	80.4 (76.1–84.8)	83.3 (79.8–88.5)	81.3 (76.6–85.9)	80.0 (75.1–84.7)	77.0 (71.4–82.6)	76.6 (70.6–82.6)	77.5 (71.1–83.9)	74.5 (67.9–81.2)	3	0.482	.695
Instrumental role	80.2 (75.8–84.7)	83.6 (80.1–89.1)	81.4 (76.6–86.1)	79.6 (74.6–84.6)	77.2 (70.9–83.6)	76.0 (69.6–82.4)	77.2 (70.5–83.8)	73.9 (66.9–80.8)	3	1.067	.372
Management role	92.6 (89.5–95.7)	94.7 (91.5–97.9)	93.3 (89.4–97.3)	92.9 (89.2–96.7)	91.5 (87.3–95.6)	92.4 (87.9–97.0)	90.7 (85.2–96.2)	88.8 (83.4–94.1)	3	0.581	.630
Overall frequency	49.3 (47.7–50.8)	51.6 (49.9–53.2)	49.8 (48.6–50.9)	49.6 (48.0–51.2)	51.6 (49.5–53.7)	52.1 (48.9–55.3)	52.3 (49.7–54.8)	51.4 (48.5–54.3)	3	1.314	.272
Social role	43.6 (41.6–45.7)	45.8 (43.3–48.1)	43.5 (41.6–45.5)	42.7 (40.4–45.0)	45.9 (42.8–49.0)	47.0 (42.9–51.1)	46.4 (42.8–49.9)	44.7 (40.5–49.0)	3	0.671	.571
Personal role	59.0 (54.1–63.8)	65.4 (59.6–71.1)	60.5 (55.9–65.0)	62.4 (57.3–67.6)	63.8 (57.5–70.0)	61.8 (55.7–67.8)	66.3 (58.9–73.7)	64.6 (58.0–71.2)	3	1.631	.185

Mean and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) are calculated for the number of participants who participated in each follow-up. Total scores ranging from 0–100 for all dimensions measured.

Table 3. Per protocol analysis including the number of participants who full completed the whole study period and participated in all follow-ups (n = 48) with a mixed model with SIDAK’s post hoc test.

	Mean (95% CI)
	Exercise group				Control group						p-value (interaction time*group)
	Baseline	3 months	9 months	15 months	Baseline	3 months	9 months	15 months	df	F
Late Life Function and Disability Instrument
Function component	n = 30	n = 28**	n = 30	n = 30	n = 18	n = 18	n = 18	n = 18
Overall	57.8 (55.4–60.2)	64.0 (61.3–66.6)	60.6 (57.6–63.6)	60.6 (57.5–63.7)	55.4 (52.0–58.8)	57.5 (54.2–60.7)	58.4 (54.0–62.8)	58.4 (54.1–62.6)	3	5.478	.003
Upper extremity	73.5 (69.1–78.0)	79.0 (74.2–83.8)	76.6 (71.7–81.6)	77.1 (72.0–82.1)	66.6 (61.0–72.3)	71.3 (65.9–76.7)	69.8 (63.2-76.4)	70.7 (64.5–76.9)	3	0.114	.952
Basic lower extremity	65.3 (62.0–68.5)	73.5 (69.5–77.5)	69.1 (65.0–73.3)	69.9 (65.8–74.1)	63.1 (58.7–67.5)	64.7 (60.7–68.8)	67.5 (61.5–73.4)	68.3 (62.7–73.8)	3	5.597	.002
Advance lower extremity	50.2 (46.5–53.8)	58.9 (54.6–63.2)	54.0 (49.0–58.9)	52.9 (47.7–58.2)	48.1 (42.6–53.7)	49.6 (43.4–55.9)	2.5 (45.7–59.4)	49.5 (41.8–57.2)	3	4.590	.007
Disability component	n = 30	n = 30	n = 29*	n = 30	n = 18	n = 18	n = 18	n = 18
Overall limitation	78.5 (73.7–83.3)	84.6 (80.0–89.3)	81.6 (76.6–86.6)	79.9 (75.1–84.7)	75.1 (69.3–80.9)	75.7 (68.8–82.5)	76.7 (70.2–83.3)	74.5 (67.9–81.2)	3	0.580	.629
Instrumental role	78.4 (73.4–83.3)	85.0 (80.3–89.8)	81.8 (76.7–86.9)	79.6 (74.6–84.6)	75.5 (68.7–82.3)	75.0 (67.6–82.3)	76.3 (69.4–83.1)	73.9 (66.9–80.8)	3	1.127	.348
Management role	91.8 (88.2–95.4)	94.7 (91.1–98.3)	92.9 (88.7–97.1)	92.9 (89.2–96.7)	90.1 (85.5–94.6)	91.8 (86.5–97.0)	90.9 (85.0–96.8)	88.8 (83.4–94.1)	3	0.648	.588
Overall frequency	49.4 (47.5–51.3)	51.8 (50.1–53.6)	49.9 (48.7–51.1)	49.6 (48.0–51.2)	51.3 (48.9–53.6)	52.1 (48.3–55.8)	52.5 (49.6–55.3)	51.4 (48.5–54.3)	3	1.236	.299
Social role	43.5 (40.9–46.0)	45.3 (42.7–47.8)	43.5 (41.4–45.6)	42.7 (40.4–45.0)	45.7 (42.0–49.3)	46.9 (42.0–51.7)	46.9 (43.0–50.7)	44.7 (40.5–49.0)	3	0.675	.569
Personal role	59.3 (54.1–64.5)	67.7 (61.6–73.8)	60.9 (56.2–65.6)	62.4 (57.3–67.6)	62.2 (56.4–68.1)	62.0 (55.0–69.1)	65.7 (57.7–73.7)	64.6 (58.0–71.2)	3	1.592	.194

Mean and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) are calculated for the participants who participated in all follow-ups (n = 48). Total scores ranging from 0–100 for all dimensions measured.

* = one missing value.

** = two missing values.

Figure 2. Mean and 95% confidence interval for Overall function, Basic lower extremity function and Advanced lower extremity function which showed significant interaction over time.