Prevent Falls with Physical Therapy
Moving around freely is an ability many of us take for granted. For some, however, mobility can be a constant challenge due to some injury or chronic condition that restricts their movement. This can in turn lead to more serious injury — but assessing the risks of these injuries and creating a mitigating plan can help reduce the chances. This National Physical Therapy Month, learn about how physical therapists can help people regain their mobility and make hazards around the home less of a liability.
What Is Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy refers to a set of personalized exercises and activities designed to enhance a patient’s quality of life by maximizing their potential for movement. Treatments and exercises may vary from one patient to another depending on their needs, but a physical therapy plan may include:
- Instruction and education for exercise
- Manual therapy
- Education on posture, ergonomics, and body awareness
- Manipulation
- Modalities like heat, ice, electrotherapy, traction, and therapeutic ultrasound
Physical therapists can treat patients with a wide range of illnesses, injuries, and conditions , including recovering from new injuries or illnesses like fractures and stroke, recovering from surgery, chronic conditions like arthritis, and developmental delays. Additionally, physical therapists can provide guidance and assistance to prevent one of the most common causes of hospitalization in older adults: falls.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 10 falls results in injury that restricts activities or requires medical attention. Every year, about 3 million emergency department visits nationwide can be attributed to falls, resulting in about 1 million hospitalizations. The CDC also reports about 83% of hip fracture deaths and 88% of ED visits and hospitalizations for hip fractures were directly caused by falls.
Screening to Preventing Falls
Because physical therapists hold a unique expertise in body movement, they are qualified to determine potential safety hazards at a patient’s home and recommend changes to ensure their safety. Older adults who believe they may be at risk of a fall may ask a physical therapist to perform a fall prevention screening to create a safer, more comfortable environment. During a fall risk assessment, a physical therapist will measure vitals like blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate, blood oxygen, and temperature before conducting a series of tests. These can include:
- Timed up and go — The patient begins by sitting in a chair with armrests and is timed as they walk 10 feet at their normal pace.
- Thirty-second chair stand test — The patient sits with their arms crossed and counts how many times they can get up and sit down in a 30-second window.
- Four-stage balance test — The patient starts by holding the therapist’s arm and is then asked to let go and try to hold four different positions for 10 seconds each.
Afterward, the physical therapist will screen the patient’s medication history as well as assess potential hazards in the home like rugs, furniture, and stairs. At the conclusion of the screening, the physical therapist will provide education on therapy intervention, evidence-based exercise, and talking to the patient’s primary care provider, if needed.