Activity trails, risk of falling, and health-related quality of life. Effects of a 12-week guided intervention

The purpose was to evaluate the interventional effects of activity trails (courses) on fall risk factors and health-related quality of life (hrQoL). A total of 94 subjects (67.7 +/- 5.7 years; 29 men, 65 women) completed the following measurements prior to and 12 weeks after the initiation of the activity trail intervention: maximum isometric leg extensors force (F-max, m3 diagnosesA (c)), gait velocity (GV), and static postural stability (STAB, Zebris FDMA (c)), fall-associated self-efficacy (FALL, FES-I), and hrQoL (SF-36). During the 12-week intervention period, the participants increased F-max (1.63 +/- 0.6 vs. 1.70 +/- 0.6 NaEuro cent kg(-1)) and GV (1.06 +/- 0.25 vs. 1.11 +/- 0.18maEuro cent s(-1); p < 0.05). Neither FALL (19.44 +/- 3.6 vs. 19.41 +/- 4.3 points) nor STAB (84.3 +/- 56.4 vs. 79.7 +/- 63.1 mm(2)) changed. Additionally, significant improvements in hrQoL regarding vitality (56.3 +/- 17.2 vs. 63.2 +/- 18.3 points) and mental health (69.4 +/- 18.7 vs. 75.5 +/- 16.5 points; p < 0.05) were found. The improvements in fall-related risk factors and hrQoL may be expected to contribute to fall prevention and psychosocial quality of life.