Month: October 2013

Research has shown that some kinds of exercise programs can help to keep older adults from falling. A new analysis finds that they also reduce injuries when people do fall. Researchers put together results from 17 studies of fall-prevention programs. More than 4,000 people were involved in the studies. Their average age was 77, and 3 out of 4 were women. Tai Chi was the exercise in two of the studies. Most of the programs used balance, gait and strength training. Many also used functional training, which helps people do normal activities. Overall, people in the exercise programs were about 37% less likely to be injured if they fell than people who did not get this training. They were 61% less likely to have broken bones after a fall. They also were 43% less likely to require a hospital stay.

Even ordinary activities, such as housework or gardening, may help to reduce people’s risk of early death, a new study finds. Researchers interviewed more than 3,800 people. All were aged 60 or older. They answered questions about diet, drinking, smoking and physical activity. Besides formal exercise, people were asked about everyday activities. Examples included gardening, housework, home projects and car maintenance. Doctors examined everyone. They also took blood samples. These were used to check for blood sugar and cholesterol levels and other factors that might affect health. Researchers kept track of people for 12 years. In that time, people who had a lot of everyday activity were 27% likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than the least active people. They were 30% less likely to die of any cause.