Fall Prevention

Falls can diminish your ability to lead an active and independent life. About one third of people over the age of 65 and almost half of people over the age of 80 will fall at least once this year. There usually are several reasons for a fall.

We can help you reduce your risk of falling by:

• Assessing your risk of falling with a thorough assessment using standardized tests
• Helping you make your home as safe as possible
• Educating you about the medical risk factors linked to falls
• Designing individualized exercises and balance training
• Working with other health care professionals and community services to create programs for people who want to reduce their risk of falling

How Can We Help?

If you are worried about falling or if you recently had a fall, we can conduct a brief check (“screening”) of your fall risk. If the screening shows that you are at risk, we will perform a thorough evaluation, including:

• A review of your medical history
• A review of your medications
• A simple vision test
• A home safety assessment
• A simple screen of your thinking abilities
• A check of your heart rate
• Blood pressure measurements while you change positions (from sitting to standing)
• Feet and footwear assessment
• Assessment of any nervous system disorders, such as stroke or Parkinson disease

We also will:

• Measure your leg strength, using simple tests such as timing how long it takes you to stand from a chair
• Determine how quickly and steadily you walk
• Assess your balance – for instance, by having you stand on one leg or rise from a chair and walk
• Use special tests to measure your balance

Based on the evaluation results, your physical therapist will design an exercise and training program to improve your balance and strength. A recent systematic review of many published studies found that exercise-based programs in the home or in group settings are effective in preventing falls. These programs are especially effective when balance exercises are performed in a standing position without using much arm support.

Balance Training

Balance training has been shown to be an important and effective part of falls prevention. We will design exercises that challenge your ability to keep your balance, including exercises such as single-leg standing.

Walking and Moving

When people walk very slowly or are unsteady, they are at risk of falling. We can improve your walking ability by having you do such activities as:

• Dance steps
• Walking in circles
• “Figure 8″ exercises to strengthen the core abdominal muscles that help stabilize your body
• Manoeuvering around obstacle courses

Doing More Than One Thing at the Same Time – Safely

Older adults who have difficulty walking and talking at the same time are at a higher risk of falling. To help increase your safety during daily activities, your physical therapist can design a “dual-task” training program. This kind of training will challenge you to maintain walking speed while you do another task, such as counting backwards, engaging in a conversation, or carrying a bag of groceries.

Strength Training

Strengthening exercises are a key element of fall prevention when they are done in conjunction with balance training. We will design strengthening exercises that focus on your leg and the muscles used in maintaining posture.

Aerobic Training

Aerobic exercise is physical exercise of relatively low intensity and long duration; it can help improve almost every aspect of your health. Walking is one of the safest forms of aerobic exercise, no matter what kind of problem you have. Once you have begun your strengthening and balance program, your physiotherapist will know when you’re ready to start aerobic exercise. Depending on your ability, the therapist might have you do three 30-minute walking sessions each week.

Education

We will take the time to explain to you how to best manage your own risks for falling. We will discuss with you about the best activities for you to do to maintain your quality of life.

Fear Management

We will also discuss any fear of falling that you have. We will work with you to determine whether there are activities you should avoid. Your therapist also will work with you to determine whether your fear may be unfounded and whether there are activities that you should be doing to keep strong and help your balance.