Effects of the Otago exercise program on fall efficacy, activities of daily living and quality of life in elderly stroke patients

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the Otago exercise program on fall efficacy, activities of daily living, and quality of life in elderly stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Eight subjects performed the Otago exercise program three times per week, for 8 weeks. The outcome measures were the Fall Efficacy Scale score for fall efficacy, modified Barthel index for activities of daily living, and EQ-5D for quality of life. [Results] In our comparison of the results before and after the intervention, we found that the Otago exercise program improved fall efficacy significantly as well as the score for activities of daily living and quality of life, though not significantly. [Conclusion] We consider that the Otago exercise program is an effective method for improving fall efficacy in elderly stroke patients.