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Health

Dance mat-style game helps stop older people falling

A game that prompts players to step on different arrows, like a dance mat, reduced falls among older people

By Sara Novak

2 February 2024

People were encouraged to play the game, called smart±step, for at least 2 hours a week for one year

NeuRA

A dance mat-style game that prompts players to step on different arrows prevents falls among older people, probably by improving their strength, balance and reflexes.

Our balance naturally declines with age, with falls being a common cause of serious injury among older people. Vision problems, muscle weakness and conditions such as dementia, heart disease and low blood pressure can also raise the risk.

To help prevent falls, Daina Sturnieks at the University of New South Wales in Sydney,…

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