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Falls
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Safety Issues

Falls

Falls can cause serious injury at any age, but understanding the risks and taking preventative steps can help maintain safety and independence.

Falls can be dangerous at any age. Babies and young children can get hurt falling off furniture or down the stairs. Older children may fall off playground equipment. For older adults, falls can be especially serious. They are at higher risk of falling. They are also more likely to fracture (break) a bone when they fall, especially if they have osteoporosis. A broken bone, especially when it is in a hip, may even lead to disability and a loss of independence for older adults.

Common Causes of Falls

Some common causes of falls include:

  • Balance problems
  • Some medicines, which can make you feel dizzy, confused, or slow
  • Vision problems
  • Alcohol, which can affect your balance and reflexes
  • Muscle weakness, especially in your legs, which can make it harder for you to get up from a chair or keep your balance when walking on an uneven surface.
  • Certain illnesses, such as low blood pressure, diabetes, and neuropathy
  • Slow reflexes, which make it hard to keep your balance or move out of the way of a hazard
  • Tripping or slipping due to loss of footing or traction

Prevention and Safety

At any age, people can make changes to lower their risk of falling. It is important to take care of your health, including getting regular eye exams. Regular exercise may lower your risk of falls by strengthening your muscles, improving your balance, and keeping your bones strong. And you can look for ways to make your house safer. For example, you can get rid of tripping hazards and make sure that you have rails on the stairs and in the bath. To reduce the chances of breaking a bone if you do fall, make sure that you get enough calcium and vitamin D.

Frequently Asked Questions

Stay calm and encourage the person not to rush getting up. Check for signs of serious injury, such as head trauma, loss of consciousness, severe neck or back pain, or an inability to move a limb. If severe pain, visible limb deformity, or head injury is present, call emergency services immediately and keep the person warm and still. If they are uninjured and feel capable of standing, help them roll onto their hands and knees, crawl to a sturdy chair, place both hands on the seat, and slowly transition to a seated position. A medical evaluation is recommended after any fall, even if no injuries are immediately obvious.
Medications that affect the central nervous system or blood pressure carry the highest risk of contributing to falls. Sedatives, sleep aids, antidepressants, antipsychotics, muscle relaxants, and opioid pain relievers can cause drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, or slowed reaction times. Antihypertensives and diuretics can cause orthostatic hypotension, a sudden drop in blood pressure when moving from sitting or lying down to standing. Taking four or more prescription medications concurrently, known as polypharmacy, significantly compounds fall risk, making regular medication reviews with a healthcare provider essential.
Effective fall-prevention exercise programs combine balance training, lower-body strength, and functional mobility. Tai Chi is widely recommended by clinicians because it improves postural stability, coordination, and body awareness. Targeted strength exercises like sit-to-stand repetitions from a sturdy chair, heel-to-toe tandem walking, standing on one leg, and calf raises strengthen stabilizing ankle, leg, and core muscles. Older adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly, incorporating balance training on three or more days.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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