Canan outdoor multisurface terrain enhance the effects of fall prevention exercise in older adults? A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Walking on complex surface conditions in outdoor environments is important for active aging. This study aimed at examining whether fall prevention exercise integrated with an outdoor multisurface terrain compared with indoor solid ground was more beneficial for older adults. Twenty-two older nursing home residents were randomly assigned to outdoor multisurface terrain (n = 11, 79.5 ± 2.1 years) or indoor solid ground (n = 11, 78.8 ± 5.2 years) groups. Training occurred five times per week (30 min) for 3 weeks. The following performance test outcomes were measured: 10 m walk test (10 mWT), multisurface terrain walk test (MTWT), 2 min walk test (2 MWT), timed up and go test (TUGT), single-leg standing test with eyes open (SLSTEO), single-leg standing test with eyes closed (SLSTEC), and closed cycles test (CCT). Compared with baseline, the outdoor multisurface terrain training significantly improved performance in all tests (p < 0.01). The improvements of the outdoor multisurface terrain group after intervention were significantly higher than those of the indoor solid group in the 10 mWT (p = 0.049), MTWT (p = 0.02), and 2 MWT (p = 0.000). Exercise combined with outdoor multisurface terrain training may be an efficacious approach and a feasible environmental intervention for fall prevention in older adults.