Fall Prevention
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, falls are the leading contributor of hospitalised injuries and a leading cause of injury death. In 2018-19, 43% of hospitalised injuries and 39% of injury deaths were due to falls. The statistics speak for themselves - it is critically important for the elderly to avoid falls. More often than not, falls by the elderly can result in diminished quality of life and loss of independence, if not worse. At MVP we want to empower our community by giving them the tools to be be proactive in their own health.
Our principal physiotherapist, Damon Voss, has outlined three easy exercises that can be done in the comfort of your own home. These done regularly can reduce your risk of falls. And, if you’re more of a visual learner, our senior exercise physiologist, Megan Campell, has also demonstrated them in a quick little video.
Falls Prevention Exercises at Home
Sit to Stand
Practice getting up and down from a chair to improve your glute, quad and calf strength.
Focus on pushing up through your heels as you stand. If you can, try to do it without holding on to anything, but it is ok to start with holding onto the sides of the chair for support.
Try 3 sets of 10 repetitions a few times per week.
In order to improve, we assume that it is going to hurt and perhaps even be absolutely exhausting. But a modest increase in daily activity will significantly improve health and quality of life for most people.
Calf Raises
Holding onto a kitchen bench with both feet planted on the ground, slowly raise both heels as high as possible and then lower them back down to the ground.
Repeat this for 3 sets of 10 repetitions a few times per week.
As you get stronger, you can progress to single leg raises.
Toe Raises
Holding onto a kitchen bench with both feet planted on the ground, slowly raise your toes and the front of your feet as high as possible and then lower them back down to the ground. If you find this too difficult to begin with you can perform it sitting.
Repeat this for 3 sets of 10 repetitions a few times per week.
Reducing your other risk factors
With medication posing a significant falls risk in many cases, it is worth considering if you could review your medication needs with your GP. Sometimes medication gets started but is no longer needed, or may not work as well for you as they do for other people. While you are at your GP, it’s worth getting a check up, particularly examining your eyes, feet, heart, brain and nervous system (all of which can impact your falls risk) and to deal with any concerns accordingly.
If you have any particular pain or conditions such as arthritis, it might be worth getting some physiotherapy treatment to help improve your mobility and functional capacity, and also just to improve your quality of life.
Another great tip is to make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D, either through over the counter supplements or sunlight . While we don’t all need it, many frequent fallers are deficient in this nutrient, and increasing your intake can reduce your risk of falls and fracture.
Finally, consider if you live in a “fall-proof” home. Things like cables and rugs can present a trip hazard. Ensure that you have good lighting in your house and grab rails in necessary locations to help you move about your home more easily.
While this is a great place to start, it can be very general. Our Accredited Exercise Physiologists at MVP can work with you either by doing some one-on-one sessions here in the clinic, or can provide you with a program that will help you get the best out of your exercise.
To find out more, give us a call on (07) 5531 9555 or email us at admin@myvitalityphysio.com.au.