Don't Let Fear of Falling Shrink Your World

Written By Kaytlyn Shuck - Senior Physiotherapist -

Falls Prevention — Let's Talk About It

Did you know 1 in 3 people over the age of 65 fall each year? That's not a small number. That's your neighbour, your mum, your mate from bowls. Falls are one of the most common — and most preventable — health concerns for older Australians, and yet we don't talk about them nearly enough.

And here's another stat that really sits with me: 50% of older adults are scared of falling. Half. That fear is completely understandable — a fall can mean injury, loss of independence, or a knock to confidence that's hard to come back from. Fear can be a good thing when it nudges us toward sensible choices. But when that fear starts shrinking our world — when it stops us going for a walk or avoiding a certain route because the curb is too high, visiting friends, or joining in with family activities — it actually works against us. Because less movement means less strength, less balance, and ironically, a higher risk of falling. It's a cycle we really want to help break.

Here's the thing though — falls don't have to be part of getting older. They're common, yes. But they're not inevitable.

So what does the evidence say?

Research consistently shows that around 2 hours of exercise a week can meaningfully reduce your risk of falling. That doesn't have to be two big sessions — it can be broken up into 20-minute chunks throughout the day. Manageable, right? The key is finding something you enjoy and can stick with.

Some of the most well-researched options include:

• Tai chi — gentle, flowing, and brilliant for balance and body awareness. (And yes, we do offer a water-based tai chi class that is so good — more on that in a sec 😉)

• Yoga — builds strength, flexibility and body confidence

• Falls prevention and conditioning programs — structured, evidence-based, and designed specifically to target the things that matter most

At Newcastle Aquatic Physiotherapy, we've got some wonderful options to support you. Our Chair Bears 8-week block classes are a beautiful starting point — accessible, supported, and genuinely fun. We also run Strength and Balance classes for those wanting to build real resilience and confidence in their body, or Nathan’s Move It! classes for a more individualised approach. And our Water Tai Chi — well, there's something pretty special about moving in warm water. It reduces the impact on your joints, supports your body weight, and creates a safe space to really focus on balance and movement without that fear of hitting the ground. It's gentle, effective, and people genuinely love it.

A little more on why hydrotherapy works so well for falls prevention...

Warm water provides natural resistance that helps strengthen the muscles we rely on most for stability — your legs, your core, your hips. But because the water supports you, the fear factor is so much lower. People who've been too nervous to exercise on land often find their confidence again in the pool. And that confidence? It carries over into everyday life.

Where to start?

If any of this is landing for you — whether you've had a fall, you're worried about falling, or you just want to be proactive and stay strong as you get older — please don't sit with it alone.

The team at Newcastle Aquatic Physiotherapy can assess your individual falls risk, chat through what's going on for you, and help you find the right pathway forward. Whether that's one of our group programs or some one-on-one physio or exercise physiology time, we'll figure it out together.

We've also linked a fantastic, evidence-based resource below from Active and Healthy NSW — it covers falls prevention at home and gives you a really solid place to start: 👉 Preventing Falls for Older Adults — Active & Healthy NSW

You deserve to feel safe, strong, and confident in your body — whatever your age. Come and see us. We'd love to help. 💙