Falls Prevention for Older Adults

A fall can have a much bigger impact than the physical injury itself. For an older person, one fall can sometimes lead to reduced confidence, less activity and a reluctance to move. Over time, this can contribute to further loss of strength and mobility.

The good news is that there are practical ways to work on the physical factors that can contribute to falls. Exercise physiology and physiotherapy can both play a role.

There isn't usually one single reason someone falls.

Falls can be associated with changes in:

• Leg strength
• Balance
• Walking ability
• Coordination
• Reaction time
• Mobility
• Vision
• Confidence
• Medication
• The home environment
• Other health conditions

This is why a good falls-prevention program needs to look at the individual rather than simply prescribing a generic list of balance exercises.

Strong legs help us control our bodies when we walk, stand up, step over an obstacle or recover from a loss of balance. Exercises that improve lower-body strength can therefore be an important part of falls prevention. An exercise physiologist or physiotherapist can identify areas that need attention and prescribe exercises appropriate to the person's current physical capacity.

Balance isn't something that either you have or you don't. It can be challenged and practised.

A program may include exercises that challenge standing balance, weight shifting, stepping, coordination and the ability to respond to changes in position. As someone's capacity improves, exercises can be progressed to provide an appropriate challenge.

Falls don't just happen while someone is standing still. They can happen while turning, stepping over something, changing direction or moving from one position to another. This means falls-prevention exercise should ideally include movements that reflect everyday life. For example, an exercise program might work on getting up from a chair, turning, stepping, walking and changing direction.

Fear of falling can itself affect how someone moves. A person who is worried about falling may become less active or avoid activities they previously enjoyed. Over time, doing less can lead to reduced strength and physical capacity.

A clinician can help someone gradually build their strength, balance and confidence through appropriately challenging exercise. The aim is to support safe movement rather than encourage someone to avoid movement altogether.

A fall shouldn't simply be dismissed as something that happens because someone is getting older. If an older person has fallen, particularly if falls are recurring, it is worth discussing the situation with an appropriate health professional.

A physiotherapist or exercise physiologist can assess physical factors such as strength, balance and mobility and identify areas that may benefit from targeted intervention. Other factors, such as medication, vision or environmental hazards, may also need to be considered with the appropriate health professionals.

At Enable Fitness Centre, our physiotherapists and exercise physiologists work with older adults to improve the physical capabilities that support safe and independent movement. Programs are tailored to the individual rather than based on age alone.

The goal is to help people build the strength, balance and confidence they need to keep moving and continue doing the things that matter to them.

If you're concerned about falls or changes in mobility, talk to the Enable Fitness Centre team about whether physiotherapy or exercise physiology could be appropriate.