Exercises For Older Adults To Prevent Falls – The often quoted sentence comes from a television advertisement for a product that is supposed to make it easier for people living alone to call for help in the event of a fall.
Many people can relate to the fear of falling—especially older adults who struggle with mobility issues and other age-related challenges. Injuries from slips and falls are common and can have serious consequences: long-term pain, disability, hospitalization, and in the worst case, death (1).
Exercises For Older Adults To Prevent Falls
Preventing injuries from falls is important to enable older adults to have a high quality of life, including living independently, participating in healthy activities, and enjoying social and recreational activities. Targeted exercise programs for seniors are a promising preventive measure.
Exercise Programs Can Help Reduce Falls And Prevent Injuries
Analyzed the results of 17 randomized controlled trials involving more than 4,300 older adults (mean age 77 years) to determine whether fall prevention exercise programs help reduce various types of fall-related injuries (2). Specific categories of injuries included those that resulted in broken bones and those that required hospitalization.
The review found strong evidence that fall prevention exercise programs—either in a group setting or at home—can help prevent falls and resulting injuries in older, independently living adults. While the programs included several types of beneficial exercise, such as strength and resistance training, exercises to improve balance were considered most effective in preventing falls (3; 4; 5; 6).
Many seniors look forward to retirement and the chance to do things that were impossible for them as professionals and family starters. But the fear of falling and serious injury can hold her back. Well-designed exercise programs can be key to ensuring older adults have the confidence and ability to lead active, healthy lives and achieve those dreams!
The latest scientific evidence on the subject has been reviewed by the McMaster Optimal Aging team. Blog posts are written by a professional writer, Dr. Maureen Dobbins, an expert in the interpretation and communication of scholarly literature, and edited by a professional editor. There are no conflicts of interest.
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DISCLAIMER: These summaries are for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice of your own doctor. The summaries may be reproduced for non-profit educational purposes only. All other uses must be approved by the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (info@).
Many of our blog posts were written before the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore do not necessarily reflect the latest public health advice. While the content of new and old blogs details activities that support optimal aging, it’s important to be guided by the most up-to-date public health recommendations. Some of the activities suggested in these blogs may need to be modified or avoided altogether to comply with changing public health recommendations. To view the latest updates from the Public Health Agency of Canada, please visit their website.
The portal is largely supported by the Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative. AGE-WELL is a contributing partner. Help us continue to provide direct and easy access to evidence-based information on health and social conditions to help you stay healthy, active and engaged as you age. Make a donation today. Exercise is one of the most important things you or your elderly loved one can do to reduce the risk of falls and minimize injury from a fall. Below are some simple exercises you can do at home that have been shown to increase strength. balance and endurance. Pick a few and try to do them at least three to five times a week for best results. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about exercises that are right for your medical condition and activity level.
Standing with feet hip-width apart, shift your weight to one side and lift the other foot off the floor.
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Hold the position for as long as possible (about 30 seconds), then switch to the other side and repeat 3 times (or as many times as is comfortable for you).
If you are unsure about the first start, use a wall, countertop or sturdy chair to help yourself balance, or ask a family member or friend for help.
Focusing on one spot in front of you, take a step forward, placing the heel of your front foot directly in front of and touching the tip of your back foot.
Sit in a sturdy chair with only your toes and balls of your feet on the floor.
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Stand upright in front of a step (the bottom step of a staircase will do) or low furniture with your feet hip-width apart.
Slowly lift one foot to tap the step in front of you, then place it back on the ground.
If necessary, hold on to the wall or a sturdy piece of furniture for balance. As you get stronger, perform the movement without holding on to anything.
Slowly move your head from side to side, then up and down while keeping your body as still as possible.
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If you feel dizzy, stop and move your head more slowly. If you still feel dizzy, stop.
Raise one knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor (or as parallel as possible) while keeping your torso straight and avoiding any bending over.
If necessary, hold on to the wall or a sturdy piece of furniture for balance. As you get stronger, perform the movement without holding on to anything.
Walking is also great exercise, and public places like indoor malls and museums give you the chance to take a few steps inside, even when the weather outside is terrible.
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