Strength Exercises Could Help Older Adults Get Back on Their Feet, Study Finds

A study published in Disability and Rehabilitation found older adults who undergo strength training may have a better chance of being able to get up independently after falling, reports Mirage News . Curtin University researchers reviewed 41 studies. They noted that combining education and resistance training, including upper and lower body exercises, may make older people more capable of getting up after a fall without assistance, barring injury. "Previous research suggests that a number of negative physical consequences can result from not being able to get up after a fall, including increased risk of hospitalisation, poor recovery of physical function, increased possibility of moving into residential aged care, and even death," said Curtin University's Elissa Burton. "Teaching the older population specific techniques on how to get up after a fall is critical and in turn could help reduce the negative physical and emotional effects that occur as a result of a fall."