This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Aetiology

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Roughly 50% of falls in the elderly follow a trip or an accident, with a mere 5% caused by dizziness. 5% are accompanied by loss of consciousness, 10% are a result of the legs giving way for no reason. The remaining 30% are unexplained.

The reasons for increasing rates of falls, and morbidity associated with falls in the elderly are broadly based on:

  • poorer motor responses, with some abnormal gaits, such as that of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease being more common in the aged

  • poorer protective mechanisms - where the elderly fail to put out their arms to save themselves, leading to reduced upper limb morbidity but increased damage to other structures

  • loss of fitness, as a result of disuse, often as a result of society's expectations

Possible risk factors for falling include:

  • history of falls
  • gait deficit, balance deficit
  • mobility impairment
  • visual impairment
  • cognitive impairment
  • urinary incontinence
  • home hazard - poor lighting, loose carpets
  • number of medication
  • muscle weakness (1)

Reference:


Create an account to add page annotations

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.