Falls Risk Assessment Tool
Falls are one of the main reasons older adults end up with a fracture, and in many of my patients a fall is the first sign of underlying bone or balance problems. This is a short, free check based on the same questionnaire I use in my osteoporosis clinic. It takes about a minute.
Answer Yes or No
Your answers stay on your device. Nothing is sent or stored.
- 1
Have you fallen one or more times in the last year?
- 2
Have you had a diagnosis of a stroke or Parkinson's disease?
- 3
Do you have problems with balance?
- 4
Do you usually need to use your arms to assist yourself in standing up from a chair?
- 5
Do you take four or more medications per day?
What this assessment is, and what it is not
This is the same short falls screen I use in my osteoporosis clinic. It is built into the questionnaire that all new patients and direct access patients complete with me. When a patient answers Yes to three or more of these questions, I usually recommend a more detailed falls assessment, on top of any bone health review.
This tool is meant for education and self-screening. It does not replace a clinical assessment, a DEXA scan for bone density, or a discussion with your own doctor. If you are worried about falls, fractures, or osteoporosis, please seek specialist care.
How to prevent falls
Most falls happen because several small risks stack up at once. The good news is that nearly all of them can be reduced. These are the areas I work through with my patients.
Daily balance work like Tai Chi, standing on one leg while brushing teeth, or a supervised physiotherapy programme.
Simple resistance work for the legs and hips. Sit-to-stand from a chair, heel raises, and gentle weights two to three times a week.
A yearly eye check, and update your glasses. Be careful with new bifocals or varifocals on stairs.
Sedatives, sleeping tablets, and some blood pressure medicines raise falls risk. Ask your doctor to review them, do not stop on your own.
Remove loose rugs, improve lighting in hallways and bathrooms, add grab bars near the toilet and shower, and keep walkways clear.
Get assessed for osteoporosis if you are postmenopausal, over 50, or have had a fragility fracture. In high-risk patients, hip protectors can reduce hip fracture risk by up to 39%.
If you have already had a fall, a fragility fracture, ongoing dizziness, or you scored three or more on the assessment above, please seek specialist care. A proper review covers balance, strength, medications, vision, home safety, and bone density together, not in isolation.
WhatsApp my clinic about a falls review