Balance and Fall Prevention

By Ben Keeton, DPT

A fall is defined as coming down suddenly from an upright position. One in every three adults 65 and older fall each year in the United States, as reported by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. In 2001, it was reported that 1.6 million seniors were treated in the emergency room as a result of fall-related injuries. After the age of 60, the incidence and resulting complications of a fall increase.

Falls can occur anywhere and at any time while at home or in the community. Falls can cause serious injury and even death. Often a person who has fallen is too embarrassed to report the fall because it signals a significant change in his/her stage of life. It is not just the frail elderly individual who may fall, but even those who are active.

Balance, the ability to control and maintain your body's position as it moves through space is an integral part of daily life. There are conditions that may impair your sense of balance and contribute to falls. The effects of aging are the most common causes of balance problems, but injury and disease can also create problems.

Causes of Increased Fall Risk Include

Impaired Strength, Flexibility and Endurance

Poor Posture (Slouching forward and rounded shoulders can cause unsteadiness)

Disease (Diabetes, osteoporosis)

Home Hazards (Lighting, obstructed walkways, small pets, cords, etc)

Winter Conditions (Slick sidewalks, high winds, icy parking lots)

Medications (Tranquilizers, heart medicines, blood pressure, etc)

Fall prevention conditioning programs offered by physical therapists are designed to increase independence with functional activities, functional mobility, and safety awareness while decreasing fall risk.

Research has shown that a successful fall prevention program must be multi-dimensional. A program must address all underlying factors in addition to strength and balance.

Physical therapists use valid and reliable assessments to determine all the factors affecting each individual's fall risk. Therapy focuses on reducing the factors and decreasing fall risk.

This is consistent with the protocols recommended by The American Geriatrics Society and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons' Panel on Fall Prevention Guidelines.