Fall Risk & Balance Assessment
A Word on Falls/Decreased Balance
The Bad News
- Here in the United States, about 1 in 4 (28%) older adults (age 65 or older) report falling each year.
- Around 37% of those who do fall reported an injury that required medical treatment or restricted their activity for at least one day, resulting in an estimated 8 million fall injuries.
- Falling just one time, DOUBLES your chance of falling again.
- Over 800,000 patients a year are hospitalized because of a fall injury, most often because of a head injury or hip fracture.
- Often when someone falls, they become fearful of falling again, thus directly or indirectly limiting them on physical activity leading to weakness in the legs and decreased balance.
The Good News
- Physical Therapists are experts in assessing your fall risk through questioning, balance tools and tests, and walking assessments in real and slowed down video analysis. We will then develop an individualized program possibly including joint mobilizations, soft tissue release/stretching, balance and walking training, and strengthening exercises designed to promote increased balance and ability to walk confidently in your home and community.
- We are able to come to your home to help point out areas or things that could increase your chances of falling so that you are able to make your home environment safe for you and your family.
- Research has shown that an exercise program designed by Physical Therapists helped to effectively
reduce the number of falls and fall-related injuries by
35% in community-dwelling older adults and had the greatest impact in those aged 80 and older (M. Clare Robertson, et al J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002 May;50(5):905-11). So no matter what your age, you can still improve your strength, balance, and flexibility decreasing your chances of falling!
Some Tips To Prevent Falls
- Use a walking aid. Sometimes an assistive device is necessary and helpful to improve your balance. It is important that it is properly set to your height or it may cause more damage than good. We can help to adjust the cane, walker, or walking sticks to optimize your safety.
- Limit environmental risk factors. Remove throw rugs, install grab bars, have good lighting, and install railings at stairs/steps.
- Sharpen your balance. Blend balance activities into your daily routine. This will help build stability and proprioception (fancy word for joint awareness) which will reduce falls and the chance for injury.
- Strength and flexibility. Decrease your chances of falling by improving your strength throughout your body from your core all the way to your feet. Do flexibility exercises, such as a stretch to the gastrocnemius muscle to allow you to safely walk and go up and down stairs. If you are unfamiliar with which exercises to focus on, we would love to work with you one on one!
How to Take Action
Call us today and speak directly to a Physical Therapist who can help answer your questions and setup your first appointment.
Try our FREE and SIMPLE self assessment tool to find out if physical therapy could help you Move from Pain to Freedom!
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Email Us
solidrock@solidrockpt.com
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253.987.6251