A Specific Dance Intervention in Older Adults in Hong Kong

Plain-language summary

This study is a fully-powered randomised controlled trial and an essential follow-up study of our pilot work. The 21-style specific dance intervention to improve the balance and reduce the risks of falls (SDIIBRF) was suggested to be interesting, achievable, and compliable, according to the participants' feedback in the investigators' pilot work. Due to the expertly-designed and specifically-designed characteristics of the 21 dance styles in the SDIIBRF for improving balance and reducing risk of falls in older adults, the dance steps included in the SDIIBRF are unique and are largely different from the dance interventions that have already been reported in the literature. Based on the encouraging results of the preliminary efficacy in the investigators' pilot work and dance being a mind-body exercise, the investigators hypothesise that the specific dance programme will be efficacious in reducing the frequency of falls (primary outcome measure), improving the balance (secondary outcome measure for the main fall risk factor), and reducing the physical and psychological fall risk factors (secondary outcome measures) in Hong Kong's at-risk older adults. The findings could provide important new evidence for a feasible option for older adults as an innovative fall prevention exercise programme. The research question is "Can the 21-style SDIIBRF reduce the frequency of falls, improve the balance, and reduce the fall risks in Hong Kong's older adults at moderate to high risk of falling? Therefore, the aim of this proposed study is to examine the efficacy of the 21-style SDIIBRF in reducing the frequency of falls, improving the balance, and reducing the fall risks in Hong Kong's older adults by comparing it with a wait-list control.

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