RehabifyCommon causes
- Weak leg muscles and poor balance, often after illness or long rest
- Medicines, especially sleeping tablets, some blood pressure tablets and many medicines taken together
- Dizziness from blood pressure dropping on standing, or inner ear problems
- Eyesight, foot pain and poor footwear
- Conditions such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, neuropathy, arthritis and memory problems
- Home hazards, such as loose mats, poor lighting, wet bathroom floors and stairs without rails
Who should see a doctor
Signs to get checked
- Anyone who has fallen in the last year
- Feeling unsteady when walking or turning
- Fear of falling that stops you going out
- Needing to hold furniture or walls to move around the house
What happens at Rehabify
- 01
History
Falls, near falls, dizziness, medicines, eyesight, health conditions and home set-up.
- 02
Examination
Blood pressure lying and standing, strength, joints, feet, sensation, and balance and walking tests such as getting up from a chair and walking.
- 03
Your plan
A strength and balance programme, the right walking aid, footwear advice, and a medicine review with your prescribing doctor.
- 04
Home safety
A checklist for your home, and family training where helpful.
- 05
Rehab
Exercise with a physiotherapist and at home, built up step by step.
The doctor decides the right tests and treatment for you after examining you.
Before and after your visit
How to prepare
- Bring all your medicines in a bag, or a full list
- Bring your walking stick or walker and wear your usual shoes
- Note when and how any falls happened
- Bring a family member if you can
After your visit
You leave with a written plan, home exercises and a review date. You or your family can send questions on WhatsApp between visits.
When to get help urgently
Common questions
Are falls just part of getting old?
No. Many falls have causes that can be found and changed, such as weak muscles, medicines or home hazards.
What exercise helps prevent falls?
Exercise that challenges balance and builds leg strength, done regularly over months. Tai chi and supervised home programmes are good examples. The doctor will pick what is safe for you.
I am afraid of falling, so I stay at home. Is that safer?
Usually not. Moving less makes muscles weaker and raises the risk of falling. A guided programme helps build confidence safely.
What should I do if I fall at home?
Stay calm, check for pain, and get up slowly only if you can, using a sturdy chair. If you cannot get up, call for help and keep warm. The doctor can teach you and your family how to get up safely.
Do I need a walker?
Not always. The doctor checks your balance and walking and advises if a cane or walker would make you safer, and sets the right height.
Sources
- [1]
World Guidelines for Falls Prevention and Management for Older Adults. 2022 (Age and Ageing)
- [2]
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline CG161. Falls in older people: assessing risk and prevention
- [3]
World Health Organization (WHO). Step Safely: strategies for preventing and managing falls across the life-course, 2021
This page is for general education and does not replace a consultation. The right plan depends on your examination.