Does your father fall often at home? The problem could be in his feet

For an older person, a fall at home is never a trivial event. People often think of balance problems, eyesight or simple distraction, but there is one fundamental aspect that is far too often underestimated: the feet. Because fall prevention in older people and the feet are a pairing that can make the difference between an independent life and a permanent limitation. In this article we will look at why foot health is central to stability in older people, and how physiotherapy can play a decisive role in prevention.

The feet are a complex and delicate structure made up of 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. Over the years this sophisticated machine can undergo degeneration: loss of strength, reduced joint mobility, deformities (such as hallux valgus or hammer toes) and changes in sensation. All of these factors undermine the ability to stay balanced and increase the risk of falls.

In Lugano, and in Ticino generally, many cases of people turning to health services after accidental falls among the over-70s can be traced back to foot problems. And yet the connection between fall prevention in older people and the feet is still too often overlooked.

One of the most important factors linked to the risk of falling is the loss of proprioception, that is, the body's ability to sense the position and movement of its parts in space. When proprioception in the feet declines — because of neuropathy, lack of use or simply ageing — the body has fewer means of correcting sway and keeping its balance.

An older person who no longer feels the contact of the foot with the ground correctly will find it harder to walk on uneven surfaces, to go down stairs, or to change direction while moving. Hence the direct and important link between the feet and fall prevention in older people.

At the Ti-FISIO centre in Lugano, we believe that physiotherapy should not step in only after a fall, but should act beforehand, through specific programmes of assessment, education and strengthening. Fall prevention in older people, starting from the feet, involves:

• Assessment of gait and foot loading: analysis of the step, posture, limb alignment and muscle control.
• Proprioception and balance tests: to assess any deficits and set up targeted exercises.
• Sensory stimulation and muscle strengthening exercises: simple but effective, and suitable for home use too.
• Education on wearing suitable footwear: far too often overlooked, yet essential for comfort and stability.
• Manual techniques and mobilisations: to improve joint and fascial mobility and elasticity in the foot.

Ti-FISIO offers personalised programmes based on the patient's starting condition, level of independence and any chronic conditions. Our aim is to promote fall prevention in older people starting from the feet, with a practical and personalised approach.

If your father, your mother or an older relative falls often at home, do not wait for a serious injury before acting. Signs not to ignore include:

• Unsteady or shuffling walking
• Difficulty changing direction or getting up from a chair
• Loss of balance during simple activities (washing, dressing)
• Fear of moving or of falling
• Neuropathy or conditions such as diabetes

In all these cases, a specific physiotherapy assessment is advisable. In Lugano, Ti-FISIO is a point of reference for fall prevention in older people starting from the feet, through a multidisciplinary and highly personalised approach.

Another central aspect is the environment the older person moves around in. Even in good health, a rucked-up rug, poor lighting or a slippery floor can become dangerous. In our home physiotherapy work, we also give practical advice on adapting the home and reducing the risks to a minimum.

Fall prevention in older people starting from the feet is not just exercise: it is a way of life, a continuous and practical attention to the person's everyday safety.

After a fall, the first thought is often “it was just a moment of distraction”. But in most cases it is not. Falls in older people are rarely random: they are the result of precarious balance, of reduced sensation, of weakened muscle strength.

Acting in time means:

Preventing fractures and hospital stays

Avoiding long periods of immobility and loss of independence

Reducing physical and emotional stress for the patient and the family

Improving confidence in one's own movements and the desire to stay active

With the support of physiotherapy, fall prevention in older people starting from the feet can become an opportunity to regain safety, independence and wellbeing.

Ti-FISIO is present in Lugano and Mendrisio with experienced professionals, welcoming premises and personalised pathways. Our approach puts the person at the centre, with particular attention to older adults and to problems linked to mobility and stability.

Our team is made up of physiotherapists with experience in geriatric and neuromotor rehabilitation, and offers thorough assessments for every patient in order to define an effective and realistic treatment plan.

Choosing Ti-FISIO means choosing a centre that believes in physiotherapy as a form of fall prevention in older people starting from the feet, and that works every day to help people live better, more safely and more independently.

Do you have doubts about a relative's steadiness? Would you like to assess the risk of falls or improve safety in movement?

Contact us today for a complete physiotherapy assessment in Lugano. Prevention starts with a mindful step.

+41 91 940 10 20

info@ti-fisio.ch

Via Ceresio 42, Pregassona.

Read all our updates here

+41 (0)91 229 69 80

mendrisio@ti-fisio.ch

Via Giuseppe Motta, 6a, Mendrisio