Falls happen to millions of people across the United States each year. In fact, more than one out of four people over 65 years old fall each year and less than half report this to their doctor. Experiencing a fall doubles the chance that you will fall again. Understanding this risk and taking the proper steps to mitigate this is important for safety and to allow for normal completion of activities of daily living.
Risk Factors For Falling
Risk factors are qualities that make experiencing a fall more likely. If someone possesses more of the following risk factors, they would be more likely to experience a fall.
According to the CDC, the following are risk factors associated with falling:
- Lower body weakness
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Difficulties with walking and balance
- Use of medicines such as tranquilizers, sedatives, or antidepressants
- Vision problems
- Foot pain or poor footwear
- Home hazards such as uneven steps, throw rugs, or other clutter
Additional Factors
While the above factors are beneficial in determining a person’s risk for falling, there are additional factors that have been studied as well. For example, those who have agait speed of less than one meter per second are at a greater risk of falling. Poorly managed blood pressure can also increase the risk of falling. Furthermore, fear of falling and chronic conditions such as arthritis, stroke, or dementia can also increase the risk of falling.
Physical Therapy and Balance
A physical therapist can perform testing to identify the specific predictors (e.g. weakness, gait speed, balance difficulties) that one might have. Once identified, a physical therapist is uniquely trained to address these impairments with a variety of exercises and manual therapy that can be beneficial in reducing fall risk.
If you or someone you know has balance difficulties or has experienced a fall in the past, physical therapy can help. Call Respire Physical Therapy at 703-671-1871 or click here to schedule an evaluation with a Physical Therapist to improve your strength and balance and reduce your risk of falling!
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