Patient Presentation Created for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy by Kate Bennett Specialist Physiotherapist

“Falls are a common, but often overlooked, cause of injury “Falls are a common, but often overlooked, cause of injury. Around one in three adults over 65 who live at home will have at least one fall a year, and about half of these will have more frequent falls” http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Falls/Pages/Introduction.aspx

What causes a fall? Medication Low blood pressure Poor eyesight or the wrong glasses Unsuitable shoes Slips and trips Home hazards Alcohol Being inactive Low Vitamin D levels Dizziness

“After a fall, an older person has a 50 per cent probability of having their mobility seriously impaired and a 10 per cent probability of dying within a year” (Help the Aged, 2008. Towards Common Ground)

What happens after a serious fall? Leads to people being less active A fall leads to fear of falling Leads to a decrease in strength and balance Leads to another fall Leads to people being less active Leads to greater fear of falling Leads to a decrease in strength and balance etc. etc…

Other consequences Serious injuries Fractures Hospital stay Move into residential care Loneliness Social isolation

And our favourite… exercise! So what can be done? There are a number of simple things that you can do to reduce the risk of falls or prevent them altogether, such as: Wearing appropriate footwear and taking care of your feet Getting your eyesight checked regularly Checking your home for things that might cause a fall And our favourite… exercise! More on this later…

How to get up from a fall

Are you at risk of falls? A couple of simple ways to tell…

Timed Up and Go A simple test to determine if you are at a higher risk of falls http://www.csp.org.uk/publications/get-go-guide-staying-steady If the test takes 14 seconds or more you could be at risk of falls – seek advice from your GP about accessing local falls services.

“Many older adults would not choose to participate in an exercise programme even if it reduced falls to 0%” World Congress for Physical Therapy (WCPT) 2017

Why exercise? Strength and balance exercises lead to better balance and strength lead to increased confidence when walking lead to being more active lead to increased strength and balance lead to increased confidence when walking/moving lead to being even more active lead to increased strength and balance etc.

Evidence for exercise “A tailored exercise programme can reduce falls by as much as 54 per cent.” Falls prevention exercise – following the evidence (Age UK 2013)

Exercises to assist with strength and balance

In conclusion Falls are a big problem amongst older people leading to major injury, loss of independence and social isolation Reasons behind falls are often complex but simple interventions such as exercise can reduce your risk significantly Strength and balance exercises have been shown to be effective at reducing falls and the risk of falls.

“By acting now to prevent falls and maintain your strength and balance you can ensure you remain active and independent and able to do the things you want to do!”

Useful links and resources www.csp.org.uk/getupandgo www.csp.org.uk/ageukfalls

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