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Table 1 Criteria of methodological quality

From: Follow-up efficacy of physical exercise interventions on fall incidence and fall risk in healthy older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Internal validity

Scoring

 1. Study design

A positive point was assigned if the following aspects were considered:

1 Number of falls as an outcome measure

2 Number of fallers as an outcome measure

3 Healthy and not frail elderly

4 Follow-up period ≥ 6 months

5 Control group

 2. Methods

A positive point was assigned if the following aspects were considered:

  2.1 Quantification of fall incidence

A Criteria for the definition of a fall were provided and applied

B Monthly returned fall diaries (i.e., fall calendar)

C Reminder calls by the examiners to avoid forgetting reporting a fall [118,119,120]

D Objective fall rate measurement as using sensor-based instruments (inertial sensors for daily life detection of falls) [121,122,123,124]

  2.2 Intervention

A Physical form of exercise intervention

B Group training under therapist supervision

C Exercise material guidance for home training (only relevant for home training)

D Controlling home visits by therapists for home training (only relevant for home training)

E Duration of the intervention ≥ 4 weeks

F At least two times per week [127, 128]

G Session duration ≥ 15 min [127, 128]

H Reporting compliance to the training (> 80%)

 3. Cofactors

A positive point was assigned if the following aspects regarding the participants were considered:

A Fall history in the previous 6 months or 1 year

B Activity profile during follow-up

C Influence of health status (diseases, medications)

D Influence of cognitive ability

Statistical validity

Scoring

 4. Statistical tests

A positive point was assigned if appropriate statistical tests were used

 5. Power analysis

A positive point was assigned if the sample size was calculated based on an a priori power analysis

External validity

Scoring

 6. Eligibility of sample and variables

A positive point was assigned if the intervention included as follows:

1 A representative sample

2 Appropriate report of the outcome variables

 7. Description of the experimental protocol

A positive point was assigned if the following criteria were reported as follows:

1 Type of physical exercise intervention

2 Exercise descriptions and loading characteristics (e.g., intensity)

3 Intervention duration in weeks, training days per week, and session duration

 8. Description of the participant sample

A positive point was assigned if the following criteria were reported as follows:

A Age

B Sex

C Body height

D Body mass

E Activity level

F Health status (medication)

G Cognitive status

H Fall history

  1. Numbers indicate full-point items while letters indicate subcategories of a one full-point item
  2. Note that the internal validity increases with using better methods for quantification of fall incidence and implementation of intervention