13/04/2026
It's April Falls month, and as part of the campaign to talk about falls more, we want to share this quote by Professor Kim Delbaere “If you want to invest in one strategy, exercise is the one to back.”
Exercise is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your risk of falling, and the research backs it. The key? Doing the right kind of exercise (like balance and functional strength exercises) and doing it consistently.
That’s where digital programs like StandingTall can help, making it easier to build a routine, stay on track, and exercise safely at home.
Because improving your falls risk or maintaining your strength doesn't come from one workout every week, it’s about building small consistent habits over time. Have you tried StandingTall?
If you’d like to learn more, you can read more here: https://lnkd.in/g4_nnyfF
Falls affect hundreds of thousands of Australians every year, costing the health system an estimated $5 billion between 2023 and 2024.
Targeted exercise programs could be one of the pieces to help prevent a large number of those falls by older Australians every year.
"One in three people aged 65 and over falls once a year. Half of them will fall again in the same year, and about a quarter will suffer an injury that requires medical attention," said Professor Kim Delbaere, NeuRA Senior Principal Research Scientist, speaking with the Australian Physiotherapy Association on the likelihood of falls as one ages.
Once someone has a fall, even a minor one, the risk is then more present than ever, and it can have stronger long-term effects than simply the shock of the initial fall.
"Sometimes people who are afraid of falling change the way they walk. Their steps may become shorter and more variable, and they may widen their stance, which can make their walking less steady," said Professor Delbaere.
The implementation of digital health therapies like NeuRA's StandingTall app, a personalised home-based exercise program, is one of the ways to keep people on their feet after a fall.
"We have known for decades that targeted balance and functional exercise is the single most effective intervention for preventing falls, and that’s across conditions and across ages," said Professor Delbaere.
Professor Delbaere was involved in the creation of the 2022 World Guidelines for falls prevention and management for older adults, as well as one of the leaders of the Falls Prevention Alliance Australia, which was launched in 2025.
You can read the full article here: https://australian.physio/inmotion/power-exercise-falls-prevention
