Falls are among the most common causes of hospitalization for seniors. Every year, tens of thousands of seniors across America slip and fall. Unfortunately, many of these falls could have been prevented.
There are many methods to prevent falls for seniors, including retrofitting homes with safety equipment, wearing proper footwear, and using assistive devices. However, one of the most effective methods is often the most overlooked — physical therapy for fall prevention.
At Haven Health, fall prevention through physical therapy is not just an afterthought. In fact, it is among the most important programs we offer for seniors. By integrating physical therapy for fall prevention into our compassionate and personalized care plans, we help our residents build confidence, improve mobility and stability, and maintain independence.
The Benefits Of Fall Prevention Physical Therapy
The most obvious benefit of physical therapy for fall prevention is the prevention of falls in seniors. Falls are among the scourges of older age, and physical therapy is a surgery-free way to reduce their fall instance by significant amounts.
According to a study published in Frontiers of Public Health, “[physical therapy] exercises revealed significant effects on the strength of lower extremity, balance outcomes and mobility. Balance exercises reduce the rate of injurious falls, improve static, dynamic and reactive balance, lower extremity strength as well as mobility…”
In addition to these benefits, physical therapy for older adults have proven to increase mobility, enhance confidence, and increase independence. Physical therapy has also been shown to have positive mental health benefits as well, and those who are undergoing physical therapy in skilled nursing facilities have smoother and easier transitions back home.
As patients progress through therapy, they are often found to have a newfound sense of energy, youthfulness, confidence, and surety in their everyday lives.
Balance and Strength Exercises That Can Help Prevent Falls
There are a number of balance exercises, strength exercises, and safety techniques that seniors can learn from physical therapists at Haven Health.
These include:
Balance-Focused Activities
These exercises include techniques such as standing with the feet close together, walking in a straight line with one foot in front of the other and the heel touching the toe, and walking on various rough or uneven surfaces. These exercises help the brain and body work together more effectively.
Strength-Focused Activities
These include exercises such as seated leg lifts, resistance band training, and exercises designed to help you stand from a sitting position with more ease. Strength exercises improve both muscle strength and bone density, support better posture, and reduce pain.
Gait-Training
Gait training can help seniors learn new methods of walking. This may sound simple or silly, however, the way a person walks can reveal a lot about their body. This kind of training may adjust foot placement or stride length and recommend or improve the use of assistive devices.
Use of Assistive Devices
Physical therapy for fall prevention can also teach seniors to use assistive devices, such as walkers, crutches, and canes with more ease and efficiency.
Pain-Reduction Exercises
In addition to helping prevent falls, physical therapy can help minimize pain associated with aging and injuries related to falls or other conditions. These exercises are often centered on strengthening muscles to compensate for injuries or weaknesses in surrounding muscles or elsewhere in the body.
Our physical education and training provide residents not only with exercises that can be performed under the watchful eyes of a therapist, but techniques that can be used at home as well.
How Haven Health Supports Seniors With Fall Prevention
At Haven Health, we believe every patient deserves a safe environment, a healthy life, and the right tools and strategies they need to regain their independence. For every one of our patients, this always starts with a personalized care plan.
A personalized care plan is a roadmap back to health we create with you, your family, your health team, and our doctors and nurses to create the best outcomes for your stay in our facilities. Our plans include medication management, comfort and pain management strategies, and therapies that can get you back to health and back home faster, healthier and stronger.
Our therapy offerings don’t just stop at physical therapy; they always include occupational therapy and speech therapy as well. No matter what you or your loved ones need to get healthy and back home, we can provide it at Haven Health.
With a deep commitment to safety and rehabilitation that is holistic, the skilled nursing facilities at Haven Health provide the supportive and rehabilitative environment that every patient needs.
Take The Next Steps Toward a Safer Life — Call Haven Health
If you or your loved one is looking for a skilled nursing facility or physical therapy for fall prevention, give us a call today. Having the support you need can make all the difference in returning home safely and comfortably after a stay in the hospital or during the course of a serious illness.
Let us help you and your loved ones build strength, stability, and a safer path back home.
Sources:
Heywood, S., et al. (2022). Physical Therapy and Mental Health: A Scoping Review.
Sadaqa, M., et al. (2023). Effectiveness of Exercise Interventions on Fall Prevention in Ambulatory Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review With Narrative Synthesis.
Three Types of Exercise Can Improve Your Health and Physical Ability. (2025).