Impacto dos exercícios físicos no medo de cair: revisão de literatura

Abstract

With increasing population aging, falls tend to increase and become a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the elderly. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the world population over 60 years will rise from 605 million by 2050¹. Postural Instability is considered a Geriatric Syndrome. Extrinsic and intrinsic factors can lead to a fall. Data show that about 20 to 35% of the elderly suffer at least one fall each year, that in every one to five falls will occur serious injuries such as hip fracture or a craniocerebral trauma. In addition, another consequence that can occur after some falls is the fear of falling. Fear of falling can result in activity restriction, which can lead to loss of muscle strength, increased risk of falls, psychological and cognitive factors, and interfering with quality of life. This study aimed to review publications related to the effects of physical activity on the fear of falling from the elderly. The articles selected present several interventions and positive results, demonstrating that physical activity reduces the fear of falling and others that did not show differences during the intervention. The studies analyzed are in agreement with the results, showing that regular and oriented physical activity improves the physical capacity of the elderly, reducing the fear of falling and consequently the number of falls and thus improving the perception of quality of life. However, different types of interventions should be further investigated, such as their effect on fear of falling.