Keep-On-Keep-Up (KOKU)

Summary

Falls are the primary cause of fatal and non-fatal accidental injuries in older adults. Around a third of community-dwelling older adults fall per year with high associated personal and societal costs. The World Falls Prevention Guidelines recommend balance challenging, functional exercise programmes for falls prevention but there can be low uptake and adherence in community settings. A digital, NHS approved programme Keep-On-Keep-Up (KOKU) was co-developed with older adults and therapists, to provide progressive, evidence-based exercises and to raise awareness of home hazards and ways to improve bone health, nutrition and hydration. This trial aims to investigate the effectiveness of the KOKU digital strength and balance programme for improving balance, function and reducing falls risk in community dwelling older adults.

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an NHS (National Health Service) approved, digital falls prevention intervention; (Keep On Keep Up (KOKU) - see https://kokuhealth.com) for improving balance, maintaining function and reducing falls risk in community dwelling older adults.

Design:

A two-arm randomised controlled trial.

Participants and setting:

Community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older.

Interventions:

Digital 12-week strength and balance programme, plus standard care (falls prevention exercises advice and leaflet) against standard care only.

Main outcome measures:

The primary outcome measure is balance function at 12 weeks post-baseline, as assessed by the Berg Balance scale (BBS). Secondary outcomes include: healthcare utilisation and health-related quality of life, fear of falling, mobility, self-reported physical activity, falls risk, pain, mood, fatigue, and self-reported falls over a 3-month period. Randomisation will take place after participants are recruited and baseline data is collected.

Conditions

• Balance
• Falls Prevention
• Functional Decline

Interventions

OTHER

KOKU

KOKU is a digital strength and balance programme designed to prevent physical decline and frailty KOKU provides access to personalised, progressive strength and balance exercises. More information can be found at: https://kokuhealth.com/

OTHER

FaME / OTAGO leaflet and AGE UK Stay Steady Leaflet

A leaflet with information on a combination of strength and balance exercises and walking programs, performed on a weekly basis by older adults at home, or community settings. The exercises can be done individually or in a group setting and are aimed at reducing falls in older adults. More information can be found at: https://fameexercise.com/ and https://www.livestronger.org.nz/assets/Uploads/acc1162-otago-exercise-manual.pdf https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/exercise/staying-steady-download-page/#:\~:text=This%20guide%20outlines%20things%20you%20can

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Manchester

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Emma Stanmore, PhD · The University of Manchester

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-07-01

Primary Completion

2025-06-24

Completion

2025-06-24

Countries

• United Kingdom

Study Locations