BACKGROUND: Falls are common in older people and a leading cause of injury. Exercise programmes are available for falls prevention, including the Otago Exercise Programme (OEP). The Southeast Asia region has a rapidly ageing population with unique aspects to consider in falls prevention. This systematic review aims to explore the effectiveness of OEP in Southeast Asia for falls prevention. METHODS: A literature search conducted in April 2020 of PubMed and Google Scholar databases was performed to identify randomised controlled trials on OEP in Southeast Asia. RESULTS: Three studies met inclusion criteria for the systematic review. The studies in Malaysia and Thailand did not identify any differences in the rate of falls with the modified OEP intervention compared to conventional treatment. The study from Indonesia inferred a reduced fall risk with improved Timed Up and Go with the intervention, but did not quantify fall rates. CONCLUSION: The three studies identified used a modified OEP, with limited evidence of efficacy or reduction in fall rates. Further research is required, particularly randomized controlled trials to evaluate OEP for falls prevention in Southeast Asia.
Accidental Falls ; Secondary Prevention ; Asia, Southeastern

OBJECTIVE: To investigate differences in plantar pressure distribution between a normal gait and unpredictable slip events to predict the initiation of the slipping process. METHODS: Eleven male participants were enrolled. Subjects walked onto a wooden tile, and two layers of oily vinyl sheet were placed on the expected spot of the 4th step to induce a slip. An insole pressure-measuring system was used to monitor plantar pressure distribution. This system measured plantar pressure in four regions (the toes, metatarsal head, arch, and heel) for three events: the step during normal gait; the recovered step, when the subject recovered from a slip; and the uncorrected, harmful slipped step. Four variables were analyzed: peak pressure (PP), contact time (CT), the pressure-time integral (PTI), and the instant of peak pressure (IPP). RESULTS: The plantar pressure pattern in the heel was unique, as compared with other parts of the sole. In the heel, PP, CT, and PTI values were high in slipped and recovered steps compared with normal steps. The IPP differed markedly among the three steps. The IPPs in the heel for the three events were, in descending order (from latest to earliest), slipped, recovered, and normal steps, whereas in the other regions the order was normal, recovered, and slipped steps. Finally, the metatarsal head-to-heel IPP ratios for the normal, recovered, and slipped steps were 6.1+/-2.9, 3.1+/-3.0, and 2.2+/-2.5, respectively. CONCLUSION: A distinctive plantar pressure pattern in the heel might be useful for early detection of a slip event to prevent slip-related injuries.
Accident Prevention ; Accidental Falls ; Foot ; Gait ; Head ; Heel ; Humans ; Male ; Metatarsal Bones ; Toes

BACKGROUND: Household waste collectors (HWCs) are exposed to hazardous conditions. This study investigates the patterns of workplace injuries and work-related illnesses of HWCs. METHODS: This study uses cases of workplace injuries and work-related illnesses of HWCs that occurred between 2010 and 2011. We analyzed 325 cases of injuries and 36 cases of illnesses according to the workers' age, length of employment, size of workplace, injured part of body, day and month of injury, type of accident, agency of accident, and collection process. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the effect of workers' length of employment, injured part of body, type of accident, agency of accident, and collection process. Results show that most injuries occur in workers in their 50s and older. This study also shows that 51.4% of injuries occur at businesses with 49 employees or fewer. Injuries to waste collectors happen most often when workers are electrocuted after slipping on the ground. The second most prevalent form of injury is falling, which usually happens when workers hang from the rear of the truck during transportation or otherwise slip and fall from the truck. Work-related illnesses amongst waste collectors are mostly musculoskeletal conditions due to damaging postures. CONCLUSION: These findings will be instructive in devising policies and guidelines for preventing workplace injuries and work-related illnesses of HWCs.
Accident Prevention ; Accidental Falls ; Commerce ; Employment ; Family Characteristics* ; Motor Vehicles ; Posture ; Transportation

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze factors affecting fall prevention activities of emergency room (ER) nurses based on their health belief factors (perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, perceived severity, perceived barriers, and cues to action). METHODS: The study design was a descriptive survey using questionnaires which were given to 127 emergency room nurses from two regional emergency medical centers, four local emergency medical centers, and two local emergency medical facilities. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, t-test, one-way ANOVA with LSD test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regressions. RESULTS: ER nurses' fall prevention activities had a mean of 3.78+/-0.50. Eight individual characteristics and health belief factors accounted for 30.8% of the fall prevention activities. Fall prevention activities were found to be positively affected by emergency medical facilities, perceived benefits, and cues to action and negatively affected by factors, such as ER career and perceived severity. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that it is necessary to formulate a plan for enhancing perceived benefits and cues to action to improve fall prevention activities. In addition, fall prevention activities should be encouraged for ER nurses who have worked in local medical institutions for less than 1 year or more than 5 years.
Accident Prevention ; Accidental Falls ; Cues ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Health Behavior ; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study aims to identify the effect of pediatric fall prevention education with leaflets and picture books on the fall-related knowledge and preventive behaviors in caregivers of inpatient children. METHODS: This study is a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design. It divided 62 caregivers of inpatient children aged 5 and under into an experimental group and a control group in P general hospital located in B City. RESULTS: Fall related knowledge score in the experimental group was increased by 2 points after the intervention and the score in the comparison group was increased by 0.1 points. The difference after the intervention in fall related knowledge scores between the two groups was statistically significant (t=7.67, p<.001). The fall related prevention behavior score of the experimental group increased by 9.3 points after the intervention, and the score of the comparison group increased by 2.5 points. The difference in the scores of fall related prevention behaviors between the two groups was statistically significant (t=5.71, p<.001). CONCLUSION: Pediatric inpatient fall prevention education using leaflets and picture books can improve caregivers' fall-related knowledge and preventive behaviors. In turn, this can reduce children's falls in pediatric wards in general hospitals.
Accident Prevention ; Accidental Falls ; Caregivers ; Child ; Education* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Pediatrics

PURPOSE: This study was done to suggest directions for developing exercise interventions for fall prevention in the elderly in Korea in the future. METHOD: Twenty five articles for fall prevention exercises were reviewed and analyzed. RESULT: 84.0% of subjects were older adults age 65 and older living in the community. The most frequently performed interventions were lower limb strength and balance exercises together 43.3%, group exercise 70.0%, exercise 3 times/week 60.0%, 60 min per session 36.7%, duration of 12 weeks and 1 year 23.3% each. The most frequently used outcome variables were static balance 84.0%, lower limb muscle strength 72.0%, dynamic balance 56.0 %, and falls 56.0 %. The effect of exercise interventions on fall prevention was inconclusive. Lower limb strength exercises with resistance were effective for increasing muscle strength. Balance exercises with various movements for balance were effective for increasing balance. CONCLUSION: Exercise interventions for fall prevention is recommended for older adults with risk factors of falling. The desirable type of exercise intervention is lower limb strength and balance exercise together.
Musculoskeletal Equilibrium ; Middle Aged ; Humans ; *Exercise Therapy ; Aged ; Accidental Falls/*prevention & control

Accidental Falls ; prevention & control ; statistics & numerical data ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to develop and to determine the effect of an tailored falls prevention exercise for older adults. METHOD: Subjects consisted of 59 older adults (experimental group : 29, control group : 30) living at nursing homes. Experimental group participated in tailored falls prevention exercise for 16 weeks (3 times a week, 50 min every session). Data were collected before the exercise, 16 weeks and 24 weeks after the beginning of exercise. RESULTS: 1) the experimental group significantly improved the muscle strength of hip extensor and flexor, knee extensor and flexor, ankle dorsiflexor, and plantar flexor compared to the control group. 2) the experimental group significantly decreased the mean time for 10 times chair stand. 3) the experimental group significantly increased the standing time on one leg and the number of heel raise for 30 seconds compared to the control group. In addition more older adults in the experimental group completed the tandem stance and semi-tandem stance for 10 seconds than the control group. 4) The experimental group significantly decreased the mean time of 6m walk and the fall frequency compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This results suggest that tailored falls prevention exercise for older adults can improve muscle strength, static and dynamic balance and decrease the fall frequency of older adults.
Accidental Falls/*prevention & control ; Aged ; *Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Physical Fitness

Evaluating the balanced capacity effectively is convenient to take some appropriate therapy measures to avoid some falling accidents. In the paper, we collect pressure data from the sole of feet at eight postures of standing and get the track of the man's center of gravity. Then we process these data with fast Fourier transform(FFT), after that, we can see the relation between amplitude and frequency of movement, and know very well shaking degree of standing, then get a technique data of evaluating man's balanced capacity objectively.
Accidental Falls ; prevention & control ; Algorithms ; Fourier Analysis ; Humans ; Postural Balance ; Posture

A falling is a risky incident of safety and health of human. It may cause serious injuries, such as bone fracture, and even death. A falling detection method based on inclinometer is described. At first, we collect angle data recorded by a wearable inclinometer placed at subject's waist. The angular data are transmitted to PC through a wireless data transmission device. Then, the falling duration is divided into three phases: the state of fall, the impact phase, and the posture phase. We make threshold-based fall-detection decisions in every phase after feature extraction and analysis of the short-time angle data. Finally, a robust falling detection result is given by comprehensive considerations of the three phases decisions. The experiment results proved that the accuracy of our falling detection method was up to 97.23% without undetected falls.
Accidental Falls ; prevention & control ; Aged ; Algorithms ; Equipment Design ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Monitoring, Ambulatory ; instrumentation ; methods ; Posture