Falls are common in people over the age of 65 and are the leading cause of injury in this age group. They can result in serious consequences including injury, loss of confidence, loss of independence and in extreme circumstances, hospitalisation and worse.
What Are The Risk Factors for Falls
Poor muscle strength and range of motion
Impaired balance and unsteady gait
Impaired vision
Poor reaction time
Neurological impairment (dementia, stroke)
High amounts of sitting time
Unsafe walking with aids (stick, frame etc)
How Can Exercise Help
Most risk factors for falls can be improved by performing structured exercise that meets the recognised Australian physical activity recommendations.
Exercise works by improving your:
Muscle strength and power—we know that muscle strength reduces 3 times as fast from the age of 50
Cardiovascular fitness and endurance
Balance and reaction time
Mobility, especially with walking aids
Pain and discomfort management
How Can Exercise Physiology Help?
An initial appointment with an exercise physiologist will consist of a thorough assessment of your health history and a physical strength, balance and cognitive assessment. From there we can develop an individualized exercise program based on your strengths, weakness, goals and daily activities to improve your physical functioning. This can be achieved by:
1 on 1 sessions in our in-clinic gym
Small group exercise sessions in our in-clinic gym, following individual familiarity sessions with our equipment
A home exercise program that can easily be incorporated into your weekly routine
Home visits to your house or nursing home for strength and balance training.
The above services are all covered under private health insurance, DVA or Medicare (upon GP referral).
It’s never too late to start exercising—even people in their 90s can improve their strength and balance sufficiently to reduce their risk of falling by up to 50%!
Start by giving us a call to book in for an initial Exercise Physiology appointment or click below to book online
