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Phone 59 77 04 66 | FAX 59 75 6752.  938 Nepean Hwy, Mornington
M 8am-6:30pm | T 9am-7pm | W 9am-8pm | T 9am-6pm | F 8am-6.30pm

Phone 59 77 04 66 | FAX 59 75 6752.  938 Nepean Hwy, Mornington
M 8am-6:30pm | T 9am-7pm | W 9am-8pm | T 9am-6pm | F 8am-6.30pm

Falls Prevention

By Shirl Delphine

Recently there seems to be a lot of patients being referred to the clinic from their GP for exercise recommendations to improve balance and prevent falls. Are you at risk of a fall?

Some questions you might like to ask yourself:
• Have you had a fall or near fall in the past 12 months?
• Need to hold onto furniture to steady yourself in your home?
• Are you concerned you might trip or fall when you go out?
• Can you stand from a chair without using your hands?
• Are you in pain on a regular basis?
• Do you take more than 4 medicines daily?
• Have the urge to rush to the toilet and not able to get there quickly?
• Get light headed when you change position form lying to sitting and sitting to standing?
• Have lost some feeling in the feet?
• Do you do any specific balance exercises?
• Are you active and using your muscle or do you spend long periods of time sitting down?
As we age there is a tendency to be less physically active, have muscle weakness and postural instability. Exercise can play a significant factor in reducing fractures in later years as well as preventing fragility and falls. At least one third of community-living Australians aged 65 years and over fall every year and an even higher rate in hospitals and aged care facilities.
In elderly individuals improved muscle strength and fitness can help to prevent falls.
Exercise program and prescription should include strength, flexibility, balance and co-ordination of the upper and lower body as well as the trunk. Increased strength and balance can increase confidence and your walking speed as well as increasing your mood and your mental function.
Exercise Physiologists are trained to advise on the specific needs of individuals at risk of falls and can work with you to further reduce your risk of falls. We can provide home based exercises as well supervised strength and balance exercise sessions in the clinic.
Contact Shirl at the clinic to get you up and about and increase your confidence with specific exercises tailored to suit your needs.