Review: exercise interventions reduce falls in elderly people living in the community Evidence-Based Medicine, 12/08/2009

Overall, exercise interventions reduced participant falls, with reductions of 17–35% depending on type of intervention. In individual trials, gradual withdrawal of psychotropic medication reduced rate of falls more than placebo, and cataract surgery in the first eye but not the second eye reduced rate of falls. This review highlights the need for further research on potential benefits of home safety assessments, vitamin D supplementation, prescribing modification programmes, and other interventions. Targeting these types of interventions to specific high–risk groups, such as those who have a history of falls or other fall–related risk factors, may be most effective; however, further research is needed.