Abstract

Old people falls are very frequent and often cause fractures, with serious complications both from the physical aspect and from the quality of life. To prevent falls are efficacious several plans of physical exercise which combine strength and balance. For this reason the Unit Operativa Assistenza Anziani of Azienda Sanitaria Regionale del Molise has planned, for the service of the laboratory for psycho-physical health in the old person, a programme of physical exercise that is taught in clubs for old people and has involved more than 100 of them. Professional figures involved are a geriatrician, the social workers, a psychologist, a physiotherapist, a psychomotion therapist. Physical exercise is done twice a week in groups of 20–25 people each. By 6 months from the beginning of the physical exercise for old people, it was asked how many times they were fallen in the last 3 months: the 1% of old people said of being fallen more than once, the 3% at least once and none of these had suffered bony fractures. The same question has been asked to a group of old people, who had always attended associations or clubs but never their physical exercises programmes, and who where equal to the first one for age, sex body mass index, pathologies, medicines taken, economical and housing conditions. It proved that in the last month the 2% of old people of this group had fallen more than once, the 7% at least once and the 2% had bony fractures.