Australia has an ageing population with an increasing proportion of the population being 65 years old or above. With ageing comes a range of health-related issues that can affect our lives. One of the biggest causes of hospitalisation in older Australians is falls at home or in the community. Currently, one in three people aged over 65 or older have a fall each year, this increases to one in two people over 80. In addition to hospitalisation, falls in older people can result in physical injury or disability, limitations with daily activities and an increased risk of mortality. Serious musculoskeletal injuries that commonly occur include hip, wrist and shoulder fractures, dislocations, soft tissue injuries and head injuries.
Risk factors:
- Muscle weakness.
- Reduced sensation.
- Reduced balance.
- Reduced reaction time.
- Vision impairments.
- Impaired cognition.
- Fear of falling.
- Older age.
- Medications.
- Home hazards.
- Medical conditions such as: Depression, stroke, Parkinson’s disease etc.
Physiotherapists can play a crucial role in the prevention of falls in older people through providing tailored exercise programs focussing on improving strength, balance, range of movement and mobility. There is strong evidence supporting the use of exercise programs both at home and in supervised community/group-based programs in reducing older people’s falls risk. In addition to reducing falls risk, physiotherapy led exercise programs can improve general fitness, mental wellbeing and ability to perform daily activities. Physiotherapists can also prescribe walking aids and give important advice about your home environment.
If you would like any further information on how physiotherapy can assist with falls prevention, please contact our friendly staff at Whittlesea Physiotherapy on 03 9176 2250