Monteiro, LinaRamalho, FSantos-Rocha, RitaMorgado, SóniaBento, Teresa2026-03-022026-03-022016-05Monteiro, L.; Ramalho, F.; Santos-Rocha, R.; Morgado, S.; Bento, T. (2016) Evaluation of the effects of a walking programme in the fall risk factors in the older people: balance, strength and agility – longitudinal pilot study. 3rd IPLeiria´s International Health Congress – Conference Proceedings. Leiria. 6-7 May. Portugal.http://hdl.handle.net/10400.15/6018Background Falls are the main reason for the high mortality and morbidity rate among older people, and are the main cause of immobility and autonomy loss. Walking programmes are a positive way of preventing falls on apparently healthy elders. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyse the effects of a walking programme on the fall risk factors of older people, namely, the strength, balance and agility. Methods Five elders (63 and 83 years old) integrated an experimental group that participated in a weekly walking activity supervised by an exercise specialist for a sixty minutes’ period, throughout a nine months’ period. The evaluations took place in three moments, consisting of functional fitness and physical activity tests. Results Results showed an increase in the vigorous activity score, walking score, movement score and standing position score between the first and the second moment of evaluation. There was as also a significant decrease in the sitting position score, which confirmed the decrease in the sedentary behaviour of the participants. The pedometer showed us a significant increase of steps, between the two moments, and the variable related to walking, indicated positive average results in the longitudinal evaluation (0.026 ≤ 0.05). Conclusions The walking programme induced positive results in some of the fall risk factors in the older people, such as physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness, therefore we believe that the quality of life of the participants was improved. Finally, the observed decreased in sedentary behaviour can be an important message for interventions with walking activity.engWalking programmehealthfallsquality of lifejournal articleDOI 10.1186/s12913-016-1423-5