Geriatric Fitness — all lessons
Module 1: Foundations
Introduction to geriatric fitness and the specialist’s rolePhysiology of ageing: sarcopenia, dynapenia, osteopeniaAge-related conditions, multimorbidity and frailtyModule 2: Assessment & Screening
Health screening, risk stratification and medicationsFunctional fitness assessment: SFT, SPPB, TUG, gait speed, gripModule 3: Programming
Principles of programming: FITT-VP, progression, periodisationResistance and power training for sarcopeniaCardiovascular and aerobic conditioningBalance, mobility and fall preventionFlexibility, functional mobility and ADL trainingModule 4: Chronic Conditions
Cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions (HTN, CAD, HF, COPD)Metabolic conditions in older adultsMusculoskeletal: osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, joint replacementNeurological and cognitive: Parkinson’s, stroke, MS, dementiaModule 5: Coaching, Safety & Business
Nutrition, hydration and recovery for older adultsBehavioural coaching, communication and adherenceSafety, emergencies and scope of practiceBusiness, settings and career pathwaysCase studies and sample programme templatesBalance, mobility and fall prevention
Preventing falls through exercise — Cochrane evidence, balance and functional training, progression, and floor-rise practice.
Learning objectives
- Summarise evidence for exercise in falls prevention
- Design progressive balance training
- Teach safe floor rising
- Integrate home safety and referral
Before this lesson
Why this matters
Falls are a leading cause of injury, loss of independence and fear of activity in older adults.
Evidence
Exercise reduced the rate of falls by about 23%; balance and functional exercises by about 24%, and multiple exercise types combined by about a third [sherrington2019].
Balance progression
| Level | Examples |
|---|---|
| 1 | Feet apart → together, with support |
| 2 | Semi-tandem, tandem stance |
| 3 | Single-leg stance, reaching |
| 4 | Eyes closed, head turns, dual-task (counting) |
| 5 | Stepping, obstacle courses, perturbations |
Frequency: 3+ days/week [bull2020], as part of multicomponent training [izquierdo2021].
Floor rising
Practise kneeling → half-kneeling → standing using a chair. Teach what to do after a fall.
Wider factors
Vision, footwear, home hazards, medications — refer as needed.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
Case study
An 85-year-old who fell twice last year completes 6 months of balance and strength training. She practises floor rising and has no further falls.
Further learning: video lessons
Video links are only marked “verified” after a human has watched them. Unverified entries open a YouTube search for that channel and topic rather than a guessed link.
Balance, mobility and fall prevention
geriatric exercise specialists and physiotherapists (search)
You will understand: balance, mobility and fall prevention
Why: Clinician-led content; verify the specific video.
Exercise for healthy ageing
geriatric medicine educators (search)
You will understand: why exercise matters in later life
Why: Clinical overview.
Knowledge check
Knowledge check · 0/5
1. Sherrington et al. (2019) found exercise reduced the rate of falls by about…
2. Most effective exercise type for falls is…
3. Balance training should be…
4. A balance progression is…
5. Floor-rise practice helps because…
Short-answer & application questions
- Design an 8-week balance progression.
- Teach a floor-rise technique.
- Create a home safety checklist.
Key takeaways
- Exercise reduces the rate of falls by about 23% in community-dwelling older people.
- Balance and functional exercises are particularly effective; multiple types combined are even better.
- Balance training must be challenging, progressive and frequent (3+ days/week).
- Practise getting up from the floor.
Connected topics
Flexibility, functional mobility and ADL training
womens healthOsteoporosis
geriatric fitnessNeurological and cognitive: Parkinson’s, stroke, MS, dementia
References
- Sherrington C, Fairhall NJ, Wallbank GK, et al. (2019). Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CD012424. Systematic review check pending
- Izquierdo M, Merchant RA, Morley JE, et al. (2021). International exercise recommendations in older adults (ICFSR): expert consensus guidelines. Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 25(7):824–853. Guideline check pending
- Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(24):1451–1462. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955 Guideline check pending
Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis or treatment.