Does the 'Otago exercise programme' reduce mortality and falls in older adults?: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
BACKGROUND: the 'Otago exercise programme' (OEP) is a strength and balance retraining programme designed to prevent falls in older people living in the community. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effect of the OEP on the risk of death and fall rates and to explore levels of compliance with the OEP in older adults. METHODS: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Clinical trials where the OEP was the primary intervention and participants were community-dwelling older adults (65+) were included. Outcomes of interest included risk of death, number of falls, number of injurious falls and compliance to the exercise programme. RESULTS: seven trials, involving 1503 participants were included. The mean age of participants was 81.6 (±3.9) years. The OEP significantly reduced the risk of death over 12 months [risk ratio = 0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.25-0.80], and significantly reduced fall rates (incidence rate ratio = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.56-0.79). There was no significant difference in the risk of a serious or moderate injury occurring as the result of a fall (risk ratio = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.91-1.22). Of the 747 participants who remained in the studies at 12 months, 274 (36.7%) were still exercising three or more times per week. CONCLUSION: the OEP significantly reduces the risk of death and falling in older community-dwelling adults.
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The Otago Exercise Program (OEP) comprises activities designed to enhance balance, strength, and walking abilities, thereby mitigating the risk of falls in older adults.
“The Otago Exercise Program (OEP) comprises a set of activities designed to enhance balance, strength, and walking abilities, thereby mitigating the risk of falls in older adults [4].”
From DS-MS-TCN: Otago Exercises Recognition With a Dual-Scale Multi-Stage Temporal Convolutional Network (2024) · cites this paper as [4]
The Types of interventions section describes the OEP as a strength-and-balance programme with a complementary walking component, and the Introduction says it is intended to prevent falls. The review finds reduced fall rates in older community-dwelling adults, but its Discussion cautions against extending the result to people who are not community-dwelling or independently ambulatory; the claim omits that population limit. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe OEP can delay or reverse frailty status, bolster cognitive function, and promote the overall health status of residents.
“Additionally, it can delay or reverse the frailty status, bolster cognitive function, and promote the overall health status of residents [254,257].”
From Global consensus on optimal exercise recommendations for enhancing healthy longevity in older adults (ICFSR) (2025) · cites this paper as [254]
The OEP can delay or reverse frailty status, bolster cognitive function, and promote overall health status of residents.
“Additionally, it can delay or reverse the frailty status, bolster cognitive function, and promote the overall health status of residents [254,257].”
From Global consensus on optimal exercise recommendations for enhancing healthy longevity in older adults (ICFSR) (2025) · cites this paper as [254]
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Otago Exercises Monitoring for Older Adults by a Single IMU and Hierarchical Machine Learning Models
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DS-MS-TCN: Otago Exercises Recognition With a Dual-Scale Multi-Stage Temporal Convolutional Network
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“The Otago Exercise Program (OEP) comprises a set of activities designed to enhance balance, strength, and walking abilities, thereby mitigating the risk of falls in older adults [4].”
Background
- Authors
- Thomas, S., Mackintosh, S., & Halbert, J.
- Affiliations
- Flinders University (AU)
- University of South Australia (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Thomas, S.
- Venue
- Age and Ageing
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2010-09-04
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 681-687
- ISSN
- 0002-0729 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-2834
- OpenAlex
- W2136782427
- Cited by
- 335
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 1.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Age and Ageing (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
- Flinders Academic Commons (Flinders University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Medical Research Council
- National Health and Medical Research Council (426758)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Geriatrics and Gerontology › Frailty in Older Adults
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Keywords
- Otago exercise program, fall prevention, older adults, mortality, falls, injurious falls, exercise adherence, strength and balance training, community-dwelling older adults
- MeSH terms
- Accidental Falls, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Exercise Therapy, Humans, Patient Compliance, Risk Factors, Wounds and Injuries, Incidence
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