Falls related injury is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in older Australians (1)

Falls are the number one reason for injury-related admission to hospital and the emergency department in people over 65 years. Those 65 years and older are at greatest risk of falls (as people get older their risk increases) (2)

Approximately 30% of Australians over 65y/o fall, 10% of these falls results in injury (1)

Factors that attribute to an increase in falls:

• Decrease in muscle tone.

• Decrease in strength.

• Reduction in fitness

These factors are generally attributable to a reduction in physical activity (1)

Exercise is extremely important in preventing falls in older adults. Exercise programs of 3+ hours per week involving balance and functional exercises can reduce someone’s risk of falls by up to 42%. (3) It is also important to promote exercise in younger adults as lifelong exercise will maximise physical functioning in older adults, to minimize the risk of falls (3)

Exercises that are targeted at reducing falls include:

• STS
• Hip abduction
• Hip extension
• Hip flexion
• Semi-tandem stance
• Tandem stance
• Tandem walk
• SLS
• Eyes closed
• Averting gaze

1. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People: Best practice guidelines for Australian hospitals. 2009 [cited 2023 May 15]; Available from: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/preventing-falls-and-harm-falls-older-people-best-practice-guidelines-australian-hospitals

2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Injury in Australia: Falls [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2023 May 15]. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/injury/falls

3. Sherrington C, Fairhall N, Kwok W, Wallbank G, Tiedemann A, Michaleff ZA, et al. Evidence on physical activity and falls prevention for people aged 65+ years: systematic review to inform the WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. International journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity. 2020;17(1):1–9.