eSTEPS study: Daily home exercises reduce falls in seniors

The eSTEPS study, published in JAMA Network Open, has demonstrated that performing ten minutes of home-based exercises daily can significantly reduce the frequency of falls among high-risk older adults.

In a cluster-randomized controlled trial involving 11,945 participants aged 65 and older, researchers observed a 9 percent reduction in physician-recorded falls. The intervention group, which utilized a low-threshold movement program derived from the Otago Program, saw falls drop to 19.3 per 100 patient-years, compared to 21.2 per 100 patient-years in the control group.

The program requires no specialized equipment and is designed to be easily integrated into daily routines. While the study noted a decrease in fall-related injuries, it found no significant difference in mortality rates between the groups. The research was conducted across 22 primary care practices within a US healthcare system, with follow-up periods ranging from 12 to 23 months.