Many of our older patients who come in to see us at ABove Physical Therapy, are coming in because of an injury they had due to a fall. We are grateful for their visits but we also know that many of these falls could have been prevented.

Common factors such as decreased vision, medications, sinus infections (which can make you light headed) and poor body core strength all contribute to an increase in falls in the older population.

As Physical Therapists – we work with our patients to help their injuries heal but we also work to help them build up their body’s core strength and improve their balance to help prevent any falls in the future.

Note of caution: DO NOT PERFORM these exercises without first consulting with your physician. We recommend that you go through these exercises first with a physical therapist to ensure that you are doing them correctly and safely.

So, here is our list of fall prevention exercises for older adults.

The following set of fall prevention exercises are in standing with a chair or countertop or other piece of stable furniture.

Side Leg Raises

1) While standing, place both hands on the back of a chair or other stable object and both feet flat on the ground.
2) Raise your right leg towards the side keeping your right knee locked.
3) Hold it about 1 or 2 inches above the ground for 3 seconds
4) Then return it back towards your other leg.
5) Repeat this process with each leg for 10 repetitions.

To increase the difficulty level on this exercise you can place a 1 or 2 pound ankle weight on your legs or reduce the amount of dependency you have on your hands.

Back Leg Raises

This exercise is very similar to the Side Leg Raises I mention above the difference is you are moving your leg back, away from the chair or stable object you are holding onto.

1) While standing, place both hands on the back of a chair or other stable object and both feet flat on the ground.
2) Raise your right leg backwards while keeping your right knee locked.
3) Hold it about 1 or 2 inches above the ground for 3 seconds
4) Then return it back to it’s original position.
5) Repeat this process with each leg for 10 repetitions.

To increase the difficulty level on this exercise you can place a 1 or 2 pound ankle weight on your legs or reduce the amount of dependency you have on your hands.

Single Leg Stance

1) While standing, place both hands on the back of a chair or other stable object and both feet flat on the ground.
2) Raise the right leg leg, bending the knee so that the toes of your right foot are facing the ground.
3) Your foot should be about 2 – 3 inches above the ground.
4) Raise one hand off of the stable object you are holding onto and if you feel comfortable, then raise the second hand so that you are now not holding onto anything.
5) You should now just be standing on one leg with no other support. Hold the stance for 30 seconds.
6) Repeat this process with your left leg.
7) Perform 5 repetitions on each leg.

If you cannot hold your balance with no support for 30 seconds then begin with 5 seconds and work your way up.

Advanced Single Leg Stance

1) While standing, place both hands on the back of a chair or other stable object and both feet flat on the ground.
2) Raise the right leg leg, bending the knee so that the toes of your right foot are facing the ground.
3) Your foot should be about 2 – 3 inches above the ground.
4) With your right hand, reach forward towards the front of the chair. Bend slightly at your waist.
5) Keep your left hand on the chair for support.
6) Hold the position for 3 seconds.
7) Repeat this exercise 5 – 10 times on each leg.

Marching In Place

1) While standing, place both hands on the back of a chair or other stable object and both feet flat on the ground.
2) Make sure you have enough room in front of you to raise your leg to simulate marching.
(You may need to stand in the middle of two chairs and place one hand on one chair and one hand on another chair)
3) Begin marching in place raising your right leg up in front of you so that you are bending your knee and raising it towards the ceiling.
4) Perform this exercise with both legs raising each leg 20 times.

To increase the difficulty level on this exercise you can place a 1 or 2 pound ankle weight on your legs.

Flat Feet To Tip Toes

1) While standing, place both hands on the back of a chair or other stable object and both feet flat on the ground.
2) With both feet, at the same time, rise up to your toes.
3) Stay standing on your tip toes for 3 seconds.
4) Repeat this exercise 10 times.

Sit To Stand

1) Place the back of one chair in front of you and the seat of another chair behind you.
2) You will be using the front chair for stability (as needed) and the back chair to sit on.
3) Sit in the chair behind you.
4) Raise both arms in front of you and stand up from the seated chair. (Use the back of the chair in front of you if you feel you are losing your balance)
5) Repeat this exercise 5 times.

The goal is to stand up without using the back of the chair in front of you to help you. You want to use JUST the muscles in your legs to stand up from a sitting position. You may have to begin by just raising your buttocks off the chair slightly and keep repeating the exercise daily – working towards getting up completely without assistance.

Assisted Squats

1) While standing, place both hands on the back of a chair or other stable object and both feet flat on the ground – should width.
2) Bend both your knees and lower your body towards the floor as if you are about to sit down.
3) Your body weight should be mostly (or entirely) on the heels of your feet.
4) Raise up until your knees are straight again.
5) Repeat this 10 times

To increase the difficulty level on this exercise you can wear a weighted belt or vest. We recommend starting with 1 or 2 pounds and increasing from there.

Heel To Toe

1) While standing, place both hands on the back of a chair or other stable object and both feet flat on the ground.
2) Place one foot in front of the other so that the toes of your back foot are directly behind the heel of your front foot.
3) Hold this stance for 10 seconds.
4) Bring your feet back to their original position.
5) Repeat this process 10 times

The goal is to hold this stance without having to hold on to the back of the chair. It may be easier for you to stand between two stable objects or chairs with one hand on the back of one chair and the other hand on the back of a second chair.

The following set of exercises are performed from a sitting position. These exercises are meant to help build your body’s core muscles.

Forward Stretch

1) Sit comfortably in a chair with a straight back (you don’t want to be leaning back).
2) Reach forward with your right arm as far as possible.
3) It may be useful to place another chair in front of you, a foot or two away so that you have a goal to reach towards.
4) Repeat this exercise by reaching forward directly in front of you and again towards your right side and towards your left side.
5) Repeat with each arm 10 times.

Sitting March

1) Sit comfortably in a chair with a straight back (you don’t want to be leaning back).
2) Raise your right knee, place it back down and then repeat with your left knee.
3) You want to be “marching in place” but while seated.
4) Repeat this exercise 10 times for each leg.

Partial Stands

1) Sit comfortably in a chair with a straight back (you don’t want to be leaning back).
2) Using both hands on the chair, begin to stand up but do so only half way.
3) Then sit back down.
4) Repeat this exercise 5 times.

To increase this challenge – hold the partial squat for 5 – 10 seconds or work up to that.

The goal is to do this exercise without using your hands to help you.

Leg Lifts

1) Sit comfortably in a chair with a straight back (you don’t want to be leaning back).
2) Place both hands by your side.
3) Lift your right leg up, keeping your knees straight – hold this up for 10 seconds.
4) Repeat this with your left leg.
5) Perform 10 repetitions on each leg.

Again, before beginning any exercise program consult with your doctor and work on these exercises initially with a Physical Therapist who can guide you and work with any specific limitations you may have.