Effects of Enriched Physical Activity Environments on Balance and Fall Prevention in Older Adults: A Scoping Review

The incidence of falling, due to ageing, is related to both personal and environmental factors. There is a clear need to understand the nature of the major risk factors and design features of a safe and navigable living environment for potential fallers. The aim of this scoping review was to identify studies that have examined the effectiveness of environments which promote physical activity and have an impact on falls prevention. Selected studies were identified and categorised into four main topics: built environment; environment modifications; enriched environments, and task constraints. The results of this analysis showed that there are a limited number of studies aiming to enhance dynamic postural stability and fall prevention through designing more functional environments. This scoping review study suggests that the design of interventions and the evaluation of an environment to support fall prevention is a topic for future research.