Fear of falling

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the paper is to describe the ‘fear of falling’ phenomenon; to raise clinicians awareness; to consider the associated risk factors. 

Setting: Fear of falling can be experienced in any clinical setting or within people own homes.

Primary argument: Individual clinicians and the treatment and care teams should consider fear of falling in people with a disordered gait or balance, or in the months following a fall, particularly where there is a recognised decline in ‘recent’ activity or obvious activity avoidance and changes in patterns of activity

Conclusions: Fear of falling is an under recognised phenomenon. This paper suggests a range of assessment tools; and outlines some management options that are available to clinicians in order to address the problem of fear of falling.