Exercise and Falls Prevention
Exercise has a role to play in managing osteoporosis by enhancing bone density, improving muscle strength, and reducing fall risk. Healthcare professionals should encourage patients to engage in weight-bearing exercises, such as walking or dancing, and resistance training to strengthen bones and muscles. Balance and flexibility exercises, like Tai Chi, can further reduce the risk of falls. It is important to tailor exercise recommendations to the patient’s age, ability, and fracture risk to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Encourage patients to engage in weight-bearing and balance exercises to strengthen bones, improve muscle strength, and reduce falls and fracture risk.
The Stay Independent Falls Prevention Toolkit is a resource designed to assist Primary Care Teams in evaluating an individual’s risk of falling and implementing effective strategies to mitigate this risk. Adapted for use in New Zealand by bpacnz in collaboration with the Health Quality and Safety Commission, this toolkit is based on the STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries) initiative originally developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The toolkit provides practical, evidence-based approaches tailored to the New Zealand healthcare context, helping clinicians to support older adults in maintaining their independence and preventing falls.
The Nymbl app is another valuable resource, providing accessible and convenient balance training exercises that can be done at home. This app combines educational content with practical exercises, making it an excellent tool for daily practice.
Nymbl can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play.