Blue Mountains Falls Clinic is an Exercise Physiologist run initiative with a simple goal…

Keep Blue Mountains residents on their feet and reduce falls in the home and community.

Ageing with grace is the goal and for many people, this means being able to do all the things you would like to do as you grow older, such as living independently, going shopping, gardening and avoiding the transition into aged care.

What causes falls?

Falls can be caused by:

> Physical and environmental factors such as steps, rugs around the home

> Health factors, such as poor eyesight or poor muscle strength and coordination

> Reactions to medication

> Fatigue

Impact of falls

For Australians over the age of 65, 30% of people sustain at least 1 fall every year.

Once people reach 85, this increases to over 40%.

The statistics on falls in elderly Australians is quite scary, for individuals who sustain a hip fracture following a fall, 75% of people pass away with the next 5 years.

Falls lead to series injuries and lost mobility. They can rob someone of quality of life and lead to social isolation and are a leading factor for transition to aged-care facilities.

How does exercise prevent this?

Resistance exercise and balance training are the leading recommendation to implement for those with both increased risk of falls or for those recovering from falls.

The older you are, the more important the role of exercise is.

Building strong muscles, healthy bones and balancing ability is key to staying independent, remaining active and doing all the things you enjoy.