Fall Prevention Exercises for the Elderly

By Anna Hazard

Last week's blog post Senior Health - How to Guide to Fall Prevention was an introduction and general overview on the topic of preventing the dangers of falling for the elderly. This week's article will focus more specifically on the exercises that will help improve strength, balance, and agility within seniors, thus greatly lowering the chances of an untoward stumble or tumble.
 
Remember to always attempt exercises with a nearby solid support (such as a counter, wall, a heavy chair that can withstand the full force of your weight without any danger of toppling or moving) and preferably in company of a family member, caretaker, etc. especially when starting a new exercise regimen.

Strength Exercises

These exercises help improve the body's ability to control and maintain its position through muscle support.

• Heel Raise
  • This exercise and its inversion (Back on Heels) helps to improve the muscles necessary for walking and climbing stairs
  • Hold a solid support for balance and stand with an upright torso and feet shoulder's width apart
  • Lift both heels off the floor and stand on the toes for 5 seconds before lowering heels back to the ground
  • Repeat 10x
• Back on Heels
  • Hold a solid support for balance and stand with an upright torso and feet shoulder's width apart
  • Lift the toes/front of the feet off the floor until the body is balanced on the heels
  • Hold for 5 seconds before lowering toes back to the ground
  • Repeat 10x
• Stepping Up
  • This exercise will improve stability while walking on steps and uneven terrain
  • While holding onto rail or other solid support, practice stepping up a single step with your left leg
  • Hold position for at least 1 second
  • Step back down to the ground floor using the same leg
  • Repeat 10x
  • Repeat the same exercise above with your right leg
• Chair Squat
  • This exercise will help when it comes to getting up from a chair, toilet, car etc
  • With knees slightly apart & pushing through heels, rise up from a solid chair to a fully standing position
  • Carefully and slowly sit back down in the chair
  • Repeat 10x
  • Increase the difficulty by slowly working up to standing while the arms held out in front of or with the arms crossed over the body

Balance Exercises

The following exercises are important for fall prevention by training the posture to keep the center of gravity centered above the ankles when standing, walking, or rising.

• Leg Lift
  • This exercise helps strengthen the hips and ankles as well as improves the ability to climb stairs and get out of chairs, bed, the car etc.
  • Hold unto a solid support for balance and keep both feet together
  • Lift one leg up with the knee to hip level (or as high as comfortable if that level can't be reached) and hold for 5 seconds
  • Repeat 10x
  • Repeat with other leg
  • Increase the difficulty level by slowly working up to keeping the eyes closed while the leg is raised, or by raising the arm above the head that's on the same side of the body as the raised leg, or else by adding 1 lb ankle weights
• Body Circles
  • This exercise helps with maintaining balance while strengthening the ankles
  • Stand with the feet a shoulder's width apart while near a source of solid support.
  • Keep your torso straight and slowly sway your body in a circle for 1 minute
  • Stop the exercise early if dizziness ensues at any point
  • Ramp up the difficulty level by slowly working up to starting the exercise with your feet closer together
• Eye Tracking
  • This particular exercise helps the body's balance by improving the visual & vestibular systems
  • Comfortably stand while holding solid support for balance with the head held level
  • With elbow bent, hold the thumb of one hand about 1 - 1.5 feet in front of the face
  • Move the thumb to the right side as far as remains comfortable while tracking the movement with the eyes without moving the head
  • Move thumb to the left side as far as comfortable while continuing to track the movement with eyes only
  • Move thumb upwards and downwards while tracking the movement with the eyes (with the head remaining still throughout this first part of the exercise)
  • Hold the thumb further out at fully extended arm's distance
  • Repeat the movements to the left, right, up, and down while tracking with both eyes and moving the head
  • Stop at any point if dizziness ensues
• Chair Tap
  • Hold unto a solid support for balance to the side while standing & facing the seat of an open chair placed 1 - 2 feet to the front
  • Stand on one leg and lean forward to tap the chair seat by bending at the waist
  • Straighten back up to the original position.
  • Repeat 5x without lowering the raised leg back to the floor.

Agility Exercises

These exercises are harder then the basic strength and balance ones and should only be attempted when one is already comfortable with the previous exercises.

• Front Leg Swing
  • Stand straight while holding a solid support for balance (a wall is recommended)
  • With the knee remaining straight, swing the leg furthest from the wall forward  then backward behind the body while maintaining an upright torso position
  • Repeat 10x
  • Switch sides and hold unto the solid support your other hand while repeating the exercise with the other leg
• Heel to Toe Straight Line Walking
  • This particular exercise is helpful for walking in narrow spaces
  • While holding unto a solid support for balance, put the heel of one foot in front of the toe of the other foot.
  • Bend knees and hold this position for 10 seconds
  • Repeat 5x then switch the position of the feet (the foot in front should go in back etc)
  • To increase the difficulty, work up to slowly walking heel to toe across the room (with hand on wall or other support for balance)
• Side Leg Raise/ Sideways Walking
  • This exercise helps to improve the stability and flexibility needed for walking sideways to avoid obstacles
  • Hold onto solid support for balance and stand on one leg
  • Lift the other leg sideways and hold for 5 seconds while keeping torso upright
  • Repeat 10x
  • Repeat the exercise with the other leg
  • To increase difficulty, work up to slowly walking sideways alongside a solid support such as a counter, wall, etc
• Crossover Walking
  • While holding unto a solid support in front of for balance, stand with the feet together.
  • Cross the right foot in front of the left foot
  • Uncross your feet by swinging your left foot to the side so that it's no longer behind the right foot
  • Repeat 5x moving sideways to the left with each step
  • Switch to the other side by cross the left foot in front of the right foot instead
  • Uncross your feet by swinging your right foot to the side so that it's no longer behind the left foot
  • Repeat 5x moving to the right with each step until back in the original position

More senior friendly chair exercises can be found here.

There are also several more organized or group sources of exercise that are not only recommended for the strength, balance, and agility needed to help prevent falling, but are also good for arthritis and joints. These include tai chi, tai ji quan, water exercises taking place in heated pools, as well as official exercise programs found at such places as the National Council on Aging.