Reducing Fall Risk with Combined Motor and Cognitive Training in Elderly Fallers
Autor: | Francesco Barban; Roberta Annicchiarico; Matteo Melideo; Alessia Federici; Maria Giovanna Lombardi; Simone Giuli; Claudia Ricci; Fulvia Adriano; Ivo Griffini; Manuel Silvestri; Massimo Chiusso; Sergio Neglia; Sergio Ariño-Blasco; Raquel Cuevas Perez; Yannis Dionyssiotis; Georgios Koumanakos; Milo Kovačeić; Nuria Montero-Fernández; Oscar Pino; Niels Boye; Ulises Cortés; Cristian Barrué; Atia Cortés; Peter Levene; Stelios Pantelopoulos; Roberto Rosso; José Antonio Serra-Rexach; Angelo Maria Sabatini; Carlo Caltagirone |
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Sprache: | Englisch |
Veröffentlicht: |
2017 |
Quelle: | Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
Online Zugang: |
http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/7/2/19 https://doaj.org/toc/2076-3425 2076-3425 doi:10.3390/brainsci7020019 https://doaj.org/article/2576c8be15674ce091e00ffc7112ccf7 https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci7020019 https://doaj.org/article/2576c8be15674ce091e00ffc7112ccf7 |
Erfassungsnummer: | ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:2576c8be15674ce091e00ffc7112ccf7 |
Zusammenfassung
Background. Falling is a major clinical problem in elderly people, demanding effective solutions. At present, the only effective intervention is motor training of balance and strength. Executive function-based training (EFt) might be effective at preventing falls according to evidence showing a relationship between executive functions and gait abnormalities. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of a motor and a cognitive treatment developed within the EU co-funded project I-DONT-FALL. Methods. In a sample of 481 elderly people at risk of falls recruited in this multicenter randomised controlled trial, the effectiveness of a motor treatment (pure motor or mixed with EFt) of 24 one-hour sessions delivered through an i-Walker with a non-motor treatment (pure EFt or control condition) was evaluated. Similarly, a 24 one-hour session cognitive treatment (pure EFt or mixed with motor training), delivered through a touch-screen computer was compared with a non-cognitive treatment (pure motor or control condition). Results. Motor treatment, particularly when mixed with EFt, reduced significantly fear of falling (F(1,478) = 6.786, p = 0.009) although to a limited extent (ES −0.25) restricted to the period after intervention. Conclusions. This study suggests the effectiveness of motor treatment empowered by EFt in reducing fear of falling.