Comparison of falls-related physical fitness and fall experience characteristics of the elderly between Ulsan, Korea and Gifu, Japan

Abstract

Purpose This study examines the regional differences in fall-related physical fitness and fall experience characteristics between Korean and Japanese elderly people. Methods The study includes 176 elderly residents of Gifu(35 male, 73.5yrs; 141 female, 72.4yrs) and 147 residents of Ulsan(46 male, 75.6yrs; 101 female, 75.6yrs). One-legged stance, hand grip strength, knee extension strength, 10 m gait, timed up and go test, 30-s chair stand, sit and reach, and reaction time were measured to examine the fall-related physical fitness. A questionnaire survey was also conducted to investigate the characteristics of the fall experiences. Results The elderly in Ulsan experienced a lot of falls compared to those in Gifu. Many of the fallers in Ulsan have fallen forward due to tripping, and they have often fallen backwards by losing balance. In addition, 14% of them suffered a bone fractured. The one-legged stance, hand grip strength, 10m gait, timed up and go, 30-s chair stand, and reaction time of the elderly in Gifu were superior to those in Ulsan. Conclusion In order to reduce the fall rate through improvements to fall related physical fitness and the awareness of fall prevention, various professional fall prevention programs and policies should be proposed, and they should be implemented systematically for community living elderly people.