Bay Active Physio introduces a falls prevention exercise class called ‘Movewell’ aimed towards the independent elderly who are keen to keep fit and active. Statistics show that up to 1 in 3 elderly have a fall each year and about 30% of these may cause serious injuries.

Some associated changes with aging are

• the reduction in muscle mass due to sarcopenia (age related muscle fibre loss) which leads to reduced strength and function, making everyday living activities all the harder and more energy consuming
• increased incidence of osteoporosis
• osteo and rheumatoid arthritis
• cognitive impairment (problem solving and memory loss)
• multiple medical issues requiring medical cocktails
• high incidence of depression

Exercise has been proven to not only improve fitness and strength but also: enhance learning and memory by promoting brain health combat depression by increasing the production of serotonin improve bone density through strength retraining improve balance and reduce the risk of falls

Key to success is using strengthening exercises cardiovascular exercises flexibility and balance training Such programmes have reduced the risk of falls by up to 35%.