Physiotherapy
Falls Prevention Physiotherapy in Brisbane
Falls are not an inevitable part of getting older, and being unsteady is not something you simply have to live with. Balance responds to training at any age, and most of the risk factors behind a fall can be changed.
Why people fall, and what can be changed
Falls almost never have a single cause. They are usually several small things lining up at once: a bit less leg strength than last year, slightly slower reactions, a medication that causes light-headedness on standing, poorer vision in low light, an unfamiliar surface, and being in a hurry.
That is genuinely good news, because most of those factors can be changed. Strength and balance respond to training well into later life. Medication effects can be reviewed. Lighting and hazards can be fixed. Confidence, which is often the thing people lose first, tends to return alongside capability.
The assessment works out which factors apply to you specifically rather than handing over a generic exercise sheet. We look at strength, balance under different conditions, walking pattern, footwear, how you get up from a chair and off the floor, and the circumstances of any previous falls.
What the program involves
Balance training only works if it is hard enough to be slightly challenging, and only if it keeps getting harder as you improve. A program that stays comfortable stops producing change.
Leg strength
Sit-to-stand, step-ups, calf and hip work. Strength is what lets you recover when you stumble instead of going down.
Balance under load
Practising balance while doing something else, because that is when falls happen. Carrying, reaching, turning, talking.
Walking and turning
Turning is over-represented in falls. We work on stride, speed, head turns and changing direction safely.
Getting up off the floor
A practical skill worth having. Being unable to get up turns a minor fall into a long lie and a hospital admission.
Reaction and stepping
Training the quick protective step that stops a stumble becoming a fall.
Confidence
Fear of falling causes people to move less, which weakens them further. Rebuilding confidence is part of the clinical work, not a side effect.
It works better alongside the rest
Falls risk sits across several disciplines, which is one of the few genuine advantages of a team under one roof. Physiotherapy builds the strength and balance. An Occupational Therapist looks at the home itself and the equipment. A podiatrist deals with foot pain and footwear, both of which change how someone walks.
We support self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, Support at Home and aged care clients, and private clients. Bulk billing is available for standard clinic appointments with a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan referral.
Frequently asked questions
What people and families ask most about falls prevention.
Am I too old to improve my balance?
No. Strength and balance respond to training well into the eighties and nineties. The starting point differs, the capacity to improve does not disappear.
I have already had a fall. Is it too late?
That is the most important time to act. A previous fall is the single strongest predictor of the next one, which also means it is the point where intervention does the most good.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly as a private client. A GP referral under a Chronic Condition Management Plan lets us bulk bill standard appointments at our Darra clinic.
Can this happen at home?
Yes, and there is a real argument for it. Practising balance in the environment where you actually move, on your own floor surfaces and around your own furniture, transfers better than practising in a clinic.
How long before I notice a difference?
Strength and balance changes usually become noticeable within weeks of consistent work, not days. Confidence often shifts first.
What if I am afraid of falling during the exercises?
That is common and we plan for it. Exercises start at a level that feels secure, with support available, and progress only as you are ready.
Related pages
The home environment half of falls risk.
Foot pain and footwear both change how you walk.
Occupational Therapy for older adults at home.
The full range of physio we provide.
Worried about falling?
Send a referral, or call and tell us what you have noticed. Acting after a near miss is far better than acting after a fracture.