Falls and Falls Prevention

Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms?

• Unsteadiness or balance problems
• Decreased energy of physicality
• Visual changes
• Loss of sensation in the feet or legs
• Slowness
• Back or Neck pain
• Any falls in the last 3-6 months (with or without injury)
• Weakness or loss of strength in arms or legs

DID YOU KNOW?

One in three people over the age of 65 fall each year, increasing to one in two people over the age of 80.

Falls can have serious consequences for older people and their families. They can impact a person’s quality of life, cause serious injury, fractures, disability, and lead to reduced physical activity and socialisation. Furthermore, falls have been noted to increase the need for residential care and even mortality rates.

Preventing falls requires a comprehensive strategy that incorporates various methods to address the different factors that contribute to falls. This is known as a multi-modal approach. Understanding and implementing this approach can greatly enhance safety and quality of life. At Malvern Chiropractic Clinic and Melbourne Spine Clinic we are primed to be at the forefront of assisting our patients and the older populations in the community.

Key Components for Falls Prevention:

Exercise and Physical Therapy: Regular physical activity is crucial for maintaining strength, balance, and coordination. Exercise programs, such as balance training, strength exercises, and gait training, help improve muscle strength and flexibility. At Malvern Chiropractic Clinic and Melbourne Spine Clinic we offer small, beginner friendly classes aimed at Falls Prevention with a focus on these specific target areas.

Spinal Health Management: The spine is responsible for messages that control balance and posture. Strong and flexible spinal muscles and joints help support the body and maintain proper balance. Some chronic spinal pain conditions such as, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease and nerve compression can affect balance and awareness in the periphery (feet). Other symptoms such as numbness in the feet can also increase the risk of falling.

Home Safety Modifications: Many falls occur in the home due to environmental hazards. Simple modifications can significantly reduce the risk. These include installing grab bars in the bathroom, ensuring adequate lighting throughout the home, removing trip hazards such as rugs, and securing electrical cords. Conducting a home safety assessment with a professional can identify and mitigate potential risks.

Medication Management: Certain medications can increase the risk of falls, particularly those that affect balance or cause dizziness. It is important to review medications regularly with a General Practitioners to identify any that may contribute to increasing the risk of a fall. Adjusting doses or switching medications may be necessary to minimise these risks, and should be discussed with your GP or pharmacist.

Vision and Hearing Checks: Impaired vision and hearing can significantly contribute to falls. Regular eye exams and hearing tests are essential for maintaining sensory health. Corrective lenses and hearing aids can improve spatial awareness and help prevent falls. Ensuring that prescription glasses are up to date can also reduce the risk of falling.

Education and Awareness: Educating patients and caregivers about fall risks and prevention strategies is a crucial part of the multi-modal approach. Understanding the common causes of falls and how to address them empowers individuals to take proactive steps. This includes learning how to fall safely, and what actions to take if a fall does occur.

Nutrition and Hydration: As we age it is imperative that we maintain good nutritional and metabolic health. This includes a healthy and well balanced diet.

How do Chiropractors evaluate risk and help prevent falls?

Chiropractors at Malvern Chiropractic Clinic and Melbourne Spine Clinic have a special interest in Falls Prevention and want to do everything possible to help patients live well into their later years.

The Cox® Certified Chiropractors at Malvern Chiropractic Clinic, and Melbourne Spine Clinic are highly qualified to assess and treat spinal dysfunctions using Cox® Flexion-Distraction and Spinal Decompression Therapy. Our Chiropractors are proficient in identifying risks and assessing frailty to recommend a program of exercises and a treatment plan for the prevention of falls.

Using Cox® Flexion-Distraction Therapy to treat conditions such as low back pain and spinal stenosis can help restore pain-free, normal function to the spinal joints, discs, and surrounding musculature. This can help improve balance problems, decrease numbness in the lower limbs and improve physical activity, ensuring you can complete your regular activities of daily living (ADLs).

Cox® Technic is a safe, gentle, low-force and non-invasive Chiropractic treatment with over 40 years of top-notch research in peer-reviewed journals, publications, and textbooks worldwide.

Falls Prevention Program

Malvern Chiropractic Clinic and Melbourne Spine Clinic have developed a comprehensive program to help assess patients and intervene with evidenced based strategies as necessary.

The Falls Prevention Program assessment is conducted by a Chiropractor and takes about 30 minutes to complete.

The Program covers 3 key areas: 

Screening: 
A simple and short questionnaire for patients to fill out. It should take anywhere from 2-5 mins to complete and begins with simple YES/ NO responses. This initial step ensures that those at potential risk are promptly identified.

Assessment:
A series of simple tests in clinic with a Chiropractor. The tests will assess all the key components of a multi-modal Falls Prevention Program. Additionally, a review of environmental factors that may influence fall risk, such as home safety. The goal is to pinpoint individual vulnerabilities and develop a tailored strategy to address them.

Management: 
Based on the screening and assessment results, a personalised management plan is developed for each patient. This plan integrates various interventions designed to mitigate fall risk. Key components of the management phase include:

• • Exercise Programs: An exercise regimen to enhance balance, strength, and coordination, crucial for fall prevention.
  • Education and Training: Guidance on fall prevention strategies, including safe movement techniques and the use of assistive devices if necessary.
  • Home Safety Modifications: Recommendations for adjustments in the home environment to reduce hazards and improve safety.
  • Annual Follow-ups: Ongoing yearly evaluation to monitor progress, adjust the management plan as needed, and provide continuous support.

Preventing falls requires more than just one solution. By integrating exercise, home safety modifications, medication management, sensory checks, education, and spinal health and wellbeing, a multi-modal approach offers a holistic and effective strategy for reducing fall risks. Adopting this comprehensive approach can lead to greater safety, independence, and overall well-being.

If you or a loved one feel you might be at risk of a fall, and would like to discuss a multi-modal falls prevention plan, talk our Chiropractors, and get assessed today!

REFERENCES:

1. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/older-people/older-australia-at-a-glance/contents/summary
2. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/injury/falls
3. Ruhe, A., Fejer, R., Walker, B., Is there a relationship between pain intensity and postural sway in patients with non-specific low back pain? BMC Musculoskelet Discor 12, 162 (2011). http://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-12-162
4. Ruhe, A., Fejer, R., Walker, B. Pain relief is associated with decreasing postural sway in patients with non-specific low back pain. BMC Musculoskelet Discor. 2012 Mar 21;13:39. doi: 10.1186/1471- 2474-13-39. PMID: 22436337; PMCID:PMC3341188
5. Ge, L., Wang, C., Zhou, H., et al. Effects of low back pain on balance performance in elderly people: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Rev Aging Phys Act 18, 8(2021). http://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-021-00263-z
6. Falls Prevention and Management: A Best Practice Guide for Allied Health Professionals. NSW Gov. South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD). May 2022.
7. Preventing Falls and Harm From Falls in Older People – Best Practice Guidelines for Australian Community Care. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare. 2009.
8. Seppala, L.J., van de Glind, E.M.M., et al. Fall-Risk-Increasing Drugs: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: III. Others. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2018 Apr;19(4):372.e1-372.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2017.12.099. Epub 2018 Mar 2.
9. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/fall-risk-assessment/