The Otago Exercise Programme for the Prevention of Falls in Older People (OEP) currently has the most research internationally as an Exercise Programme for the Prevention of Falls. It is a set of exercises that improve muscle strength and balance.
It was originally designed and evaluated in New Zealand at Otago University with 4 studies, 1016 participants, aged 65 to 97. It is now used worldwide. It is mainly aimed at two groups of older people: those aged 80 years and over for whom it has been shown to perform maximally and those aged 60 to 80 years in whom it significantly helps to prevent falls. For both categories there are common criteria for inclusion or exclusion from the programme (eligibility).
The programme includes a series of warm-up flexibility, strengthening, balance and gait retraining exercises. Older people who are included follow the exercise programme 3 times a week, in addition to the walking programme, for one year, with a defined way of monitoring their progress during this period. It should be stressed that the exercises are performed in a clearly defined way, and progress according to a programme. The manner and degree of progression are precisely prescribed and only the faithful execution of the programme will produce the results that have been demonstrated by research.
