Slips and falls can be devastating for anyone, especially older adults. Fortunately, there are things you can do now – regardless of your health, age, or mobility status – to prevent them (and the serious injuries that can also come along).

If you think you are immune to slips and falls, know this: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that about one-third of adults aged 65 and up fall annually and of those falls, about 20 percent result in moderate to severe injury. 

A knowledgeable physical therapist can help you reduce your risk of falls and potential injuries. Here are five things you can do to help limit your risk. Most falls don’t just happen; many can be prevented. Here are some things you can do to limit your risk.

Balance Training can prevent slips and falls

Our ability to balance is dependent on several aspects, but 3 important components include our visual, proprioceptive, and vestibular systems (APTA 2020). First, the visual system allows our eyes to take in our surroundings and identify potential fall risks. Second, our proprioceptive system sends information from our limbs and trunk to the brain regarding the position of the body in space. Lastly, the vestibular system (the balance system of the inner ear) relays information to the brain of how the head is positioned. These three systems work in harmony to keep our brain and body balancing. 

Staying physically active helps you stay healthy, and that can be a major player in helping to keep you from falling, but it is important to specifically train these three systems to prevent falls. Oftentimes one or more of these three systems isn’t functioning to its full capacity because we rely on one system too much. If you rely too much on your visual system, the vestibular system and the proprioceptive system can atrophy, just like muscles. If you don’t use it you lose it, and as you age and your vision starts to fade, your other systems can’t come to the rescue and you’re setting yourself up for a serious fall. 

Again, this isn’t just for those over the age of 65. If you’re an athlete of any kind at any age, balance is a key component for optimal performance. And if one of these three systems isn’t working to its full capacity, it may be what’s causing that recurring injury, or why most of your injuries occur on only one side of your body. Even if you are just doing chores around the house or yard work, balance can be what saves you from any injury. A physical therapist can determine if there is a dysfunction regarding your ability to balance and prescribe exercises to improve your balance specific to each system. 

Routine Medical Screening  

Routine medical screening from your medical providers can help identify additional possible contributions to falls or impaired balance. Changes in blood pressure, medications, dizziness, confusion, lack of sleep, hearing or visual changes, and many more can lead to increased risk of falls. It is always important to inform medical providers of your history of falling. 

Keep your home free of tripping hazards

Most falls happen in or around your home, so it’s a good idea to do a periodic audit of your home for potential hazards. Rugs, damaged flooring, cracked pavement and uneven surfaces can be fall hazards. It may also be a good idea to consider having grab bars installed in your shower or tub and by the toilet if these are difficult areas to navigate. Additionally, installing a night light can be helpful to prevent middle of the night falls. 

Use an assistive device

In certain situations, we might need a little help getting around safely. There is no shame in using an assistive device like a cane or walker to make sure you don’t have a fall. Walking poles are also another great option. A physical therapist can help you determine if and what type of assistive device may be needed. Additionally, your physical therapist can ensure that the assistive device is properly fitted and used safely.

Seek out a physical therapist

If you have had any physical changes, or if you have had slips and falls in the past, seeking out a physical therapist to help you regain strength, mobility and confidence is a great idea. A physical therapist can help improve your gait, improve your movement patterns, improve your balance, and strengthen any muscle imbalances, all of which can decrease your risk of a fall. And we can help you heal and recover from an injury if you did fall.

Beacon Physical Therapy

At Beacon Physical Therapy, we support our clients in establishing healthy movement patterns that help maintain strength and mobility. If you are having an issue, make an appointment today. We’d love to meet you and get you back to doing what you love.