Why Am I Losing My Balance as I Get Older, and Can Physical Therapy Help?

Why Am I Losing My Balance as I Get Older, and Can Physical Therapy Help? A Physical Therapist Answers

By Nova Physical Therapy | North Hollywood, CA

Patient Question

“I’ve noticed that my balance is not as good as it used to be. I sometimes feel unsteady when I stand up, walk in the dark, turn quickly, use stairs, or step off a curb. I haven’t necessarily fallen, but I’m worried that I might. Is losing balance just a normal part of getting older, and can physical therapy help?”

The Short Answer

Balance can change with age, but frequent unsteadiness and falls should not simply be dismissed as an unavoidable part of getting older.

Balance is a complex ability that depends on multiple systems working together, including:

• Vision
• Vestibular input from the inner ear
• Sensation from the feet and joints
• Muscle performance
• Reaction speed
• Coordination
• Walking ability
• Attention
• The environment

Medical conditions, medications, vision problems, foot problems, dizziness, neurological conditions, previous injuries, reduced physical activity, and other factors can also influence fall risk.

The CDC reports that more than one in four adults age 65 and older falls each year. Falls remain the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and older. 

But the important message is:

Falls are not inevitable simply because someone is getting older.

When appropriate, physical therapy can evaluate balance, strength, walking, mobility, functional movement, and other physical factors that may contribute to difficulty staying steady.

Treatment may include individualized:

strengthening + balance training + walking activities + functional training + reactive balance work + education + progressive home exercise.

The goal is not to promise that someone will never fall.

The goal is to improve the physical capacities that help a person move as safely, confidently, and independently as possible.

Why Does Balance Change as We Get Older?

Balance is not controlled by one muscle or one body part.

Your nervous system continuously combines information from several sources.

Your Eyes

Vision helps tell your brain where your body is relative to the environment.

That becomes particularly important when:

• Walking around obstacles
• Using stairs
• Stepping off curbs
• Walking on uneven surfaces
• Moving through unfamiliar environments

Your Inner Ear

The vestibular system provides information about head movement and position.

Problems affecting the vestibular system may contribute to:

• Dizziness
• Vertigo
• Unsteadiness
• Difficulty walking while moving the head

Your Feet and Joints

Sensory information from the feet, ankles, knees, and other areas helps the nervous system understand where the body is positioned.

Your Muscles

The legs, hips, trunk, and ankles help produce the forces needed to:

stand → walk → turn → step → recover balance.

Your Nervous System

Your brain and nervous system integrate all of this information and produce appropriate movement responses.

Because balance depends on multiple systems, there is rarely one universal explanation for why someone feels unsteady.

Is Poor Balance a Normal Part of Aging?

Some changes in strength, reaction time, sensory processing, and mobility may occur with aging.

But that does not mean repeated falls should simply be accepted.

The CDC specifically emphasizes that falls are preventable and are not an inevitable consequence of aging.

If you are becoming increasingly unsteady, it is reasonable to discuss the change with an appropriate healthcare professional.

How Common Are Falls in Older Adults?

Very common.

The CDC's updated September 2026 data report that more than one in four older adults falls each year.

The CDC also reports approximately 4.5 million emergency-department visits related to older-adult falls each year, including approximately 1.4 million hospitalizations. 

In 2024, falls among adults 65 and older were associated with more than 43,000 deaths in the United States. 

These statistics demonstrate why balance should be taken seriously.

But they should not be used to frighten older adults into moving less.

In fact, appropriately selected physical activity is an important component of healthy aging.

Does Falling Once Mean I Will Fall Again?

Not necessarily.

However, previous falls are clinically important.

According to the CDC, falling once is associated with an increased likelihood of falling again. 

That means a fall can be an important reason to assess:

• Balance
• Strength
• Walking
• Medications
• Vision
• Footwear
• Home environment
• Other relevant health factors

Rather than waiting for another fall, the first fall can become an opportunity to identify modifiable factors.

What Can Cause Poor Balance?

There are many possible contributors.

Examples may include:

• Reduced lower-extremity muscle performance
• Reduced balance reactions
• Deconditioning
• Vestibular problems
• Vision changes
• Sensory changes
• Foot pain
• Certain medications
• Blood-pressure changes
• Neurological conditions
• Musculoskeletal limitations
• Fear of falling
• Environmental hazards
• Improper footwear
• Multiple interacting factors

The California Department of Aging specifically identifies factors such as lower-body weakness, vision problems, medications, foot pain, and environmental trip hazards among contributors to falls. 

Because the causes can be multifactorial, a physical therapist should not diagnose a medical disease simply because someone reports imbalance.

Why Do I Lose My Balance When I Stand Up?

Standing up requires coordinated:

• Leg strength
• Trunk control
• Balance
• Sensory processing

Some people primarily have difficulty producing enough force to rise efficiently.

Others may feel dizzy or lightheaded when standing.

Those are not necessarily the same problem.

If standing produces significant lightheadedness, fainting, near-fainting, chest symptoms, or other concerning symptoms, medical assessment is appropriate.

Why Am I Unsteady When Walking?

Walking is essentially a repeated balance task.

Each step requires you to briefly support the body on one leg while moving the other leg forward.

Walking becomes more challenging when you:

• Turn
• Look around
• Carry something
• Walk faster
• Step around obstacles
• Walk on uneven surfaces
• Walk in dim lighting

A physical therapist may therefore assess more than simply whether someone can stand still.

Why Do I Lose My Balance When I Turn?

Turning requires the body to rapidly reorganize its movement.

Your head, trunk, pelvis, and feet must coordinate while the base of support changes.

Some patients say:

“I'm fine walking straight, but I lose my balance when I turn.”

That is useful clinical information.

Turning ability can be evaluated and, when appropriate, incorporated into rehabilitation.

Why Is My Balance Worse in the Dark?

Vision becomes especially important when other balance information is less reliable.

When lighting decreases, visual information becomes less available.

Someone who relies heavily on vision may therefore feel significantly less stable in darkness.

That does not establish a specific diagnosis.

But it is an important symptom to mention during an evaluation.

Why Do I Feel Unsteady in the Shower?

The shower combines several challenges:

• Wet surfaces
• Reduced friction
• Turning
• Reaching
• Closing the eyes while washing
• Stepping over thresholds
• Limited space

Home safety is therefore an important component of comprehensive fall prevention.

The CDC recommends practical environmental strategies such as improving lighting, removing trip hazards, and installing appropriate handrails or grab bars when needed. 

Why Do I Lose My Balance on Stairs?

Stairs require:

• Leg strength
• Single-leg control
• Depth perception
• Foot clearance
• Coordination
• Eccentric muscle control
• Balance

Someone may be able to walk comfortably on level ground yet still struggle with stairs.

A physical therapy evaluation can help identify which components are limiting the task.

Does Weakness Cause Falls?

Weakness can contribute to fall risk, but it is not the only factor.

For example, lower-extremity muscle performance may influence the ability to:

• Rise from a chair
• Climb stairs
• Step quickly
• Recover from a loss of balance

But simply strengthening the legs does not address every possible fall-risk factor.

Fall prevention is often multifactorial.

Can Fear of Falling Make Balance Worse?

Fear of falling can significantly change behavior.

Someone may begin avoiding:

• Walking outside
• Stairs
• Shopping
• Exercise
• Social activities
• Uneven surfaces

That can create a difficult cycle:

fear → less activity → deconditioning → reduced physical capacity → even less confidence.

This does not mean the fear is imaginary.

If someone has fallen or nearly fallen, concern can be completely understandable.

Rehabilitation can gradually expose the person to appropriately selected challenges in a controlled environment.

Should I Use a Cane or Walker?

Assistive devices can improve mobility and safety for some people.

But the correct device, height, and method of use matter.

Using an inappropriate device or using it incorrectly may not provide the intended support.

A physical therapist can evaluate gait and determine whether an assistive device may be appropriate within the individual's rehabilitation plan.

Can Physical Therapy Help?

Yes, when balance, strength, walking, or functional mobility limitations are appropriate for physical therapy.

Physical therapy may address:

• Lower-extremity muscle performance
• Balance
• Walking
• Transfers
• Sit-to-stand ability
• Turning
• Stair negotiation
• Single-leg control
• Functional mobility
• Reactive balance
• Endurance
• Movement confidence
• Assistive-device use when appropriate
• Home exercise
• Progressive activity

A physical therapist may also recognize findings that warrant referral to another healthcare professional.

Physical therapy is therefore not simply:

“Do a few balance exercises.”

A comprehensive approach asks:

Why is this particular person having difficulty?

What Is Balance Training?

Balance training challenges the body's ability to maintain or recover stability.

Depending on the patient's ability, exercises may involve variations in:

• Foot position
• Surface
• Vision
• Head movement
• Reaching
• Stepping
• Direction changes
• Walking
• Dual tasks

Difficulty should be progressed carefully.

An exercise that is appropriate for one person may be unsafe for another.

For that reason, someone with significant balance impairment should not automatically copy advanced balance exercises from social media without appropriate assessment and safety precautions.

Is Standing on One Leg Enough?

Single-leg standing can be useful for selected people.

But balance is much more than standing still.

Real-world falls frequently occur during movement.

You may need to:

step quickly

turn

reach

recover after being bumped

or

respond when your foot catches unexpectedly.

That is why rehabilitation may eventually include dynamic and reactive balance tasks rather than only static standing.

What Is Reactive Balance?

Reactive balance is the ability to respond quickly when something unexpectedly disrupts your stability.

Imagine:

you trip slightly on a sidewalk.

Your nervous system must rapidly detect the loss of balance and produce an appropriate stepping or postural response.

That response can determine whether you recover or continue toward the ground.

This has become an especially important area of fall-prevention research.

Can Reactive Balance Actually Be Trained?

Emerging evidence suggests it can.

A systematic review published in the August 2026 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association examined perturbation-based balance training in community-dwelling adults age 65 and older.

Perturbation training exposes a person to controlled balance disturbances so the body practices recovering stability.

The review found that perturbation-based training was associated with approximately:

23% lower fall rates

and

24% fewer injurious falls

compared with control conditions.

Programs totaling at least six hours showed larger reductions in falls in subgroup analysis. 

However, the authors rated certainty for some outcomes as low and emphasized the need for additional high-quality research.

So the correct message is not:

“Perturbation training prevents falls.”

It is:

reactive balance training is a promising evidence-supported component of fall-prevention rehabilitation for appropriately selected older adults.

Can Strength Training Improve Balance?

Strength training can be an important component of healthy aging and fall-risk management.

The CDC recommends that adults 65 and older include:

• Aerobic physical activity
• Muscle-strengthening activity
• Balance activity

in their weekly physical activity. 

Strength may be particularly important for activities such as:

• Getting out of a chair
• Climbing stairs
• Walking
• Stepping quickly
• Recovering balance

But strengthening should be appropriately dosed and individualized.

What About Sit-to-Stand Exercises?

Sit-to-stand is a functional movement used repeatedly throughout the day.

Difficulty rising from a chair may reflect limitations involving:

• Leg muscle performance
• Balance
• Mobility
• Movement strategy

A newly published August 2026 systematic review provides relevant evidence.

Researchers analyzed 14 studies involving 2,719 older adults with physical frailty.

Exercise improved several short-term physical-function measures, including:

gait speed

Timed Up and Go

and

five-times sit-to-stand performance.

However, the authors emphasized that data were insufficient to establish a clear reduction in actual fall incidence among frail older adults.

That distinction is important.

Improving physical performance is valuable, but clinicians should not promise that better test performance guarantees a person will not fall.

What Is the Timed Up and Go Test?

The Timed Up and Go, commonly called the TUG, is one test physical therapists may use to assess functional mobility.

A person typically:

starts seated → stands → walks a short distance → turns → walks back → sits.

The test combines several important functions:

• Sit-to-stand
• Walking
• Turning
• Balance
• Functional mobility

A TUG result should not be interpreted in isolation.

Physical therapists combine test results with the patient's history, other examination findings, functional abilities, and clinical presentation.

Does a “Good” TUG Score Mean I Cannot Fall?

No.

No single balance test can guarantee that someone will or will not fall.

Falls are influenced by multiple factors.

A person may perform well on one clinic test but encounter different challenges at home or outdoors.

Physical therapists therefore often use multiple measures rather than relying on one number.

What Other Balance Tests Might Physical Therapists Use?

Depending on the patient, a physical therapist may use standardized measures involving:

• Standing balance
• Walking
• Sit-to-stand
• Functional reach
• Gait speed
• Turning
• Dynamic balance
• Reactive balance
• Dual-task performance

The choice depends on the patient's presentation and goals.

Is Walking Enough to Improve Balance?

Walking is an excellent form of physical activity for many people.

But walking alone may not challenge all components of balance.

Someone who wants to reduce fall risk may benefit from appropriately selected combinations of:

walking + strengthening + balance activities.

The CDC specifically recommends multicomponent physical activity for older adults that includes aerobic, strengthening, and balance activities. 

What About Tai Chi?

Tai Chi can be a useful balance and movement activity for some older adults.

A 2026 network meta-analysis of 21 randomized controlled trials involving 3,387 participants compared several exercise approaches used for fall-related outcomes.

Programs including structured fall-management exercise, Otago-style exercise, aquatic exercise, Tai Chi, and balance training were represented, although comparative rankings from network meta-analysis should be interpreted cautiously rather than treated as a universal hierarchy. 

The most important principle is not finding one magical exercise.

It is selecting an appropriate program that the person can perform consistently and safely.

Does Walking Backward Help Balance?

Backward walking can challenge balance differently from forward walking.

The CDC lists backward walking as one example of balance activity for older adults. 

But it is not appropriate for everyone to practice independently.

Someone with substantial instability should perform challenging balance activities only with appropriate safety precautions.

Can I Improve Balance at 70, 80, or 90?

Age alone does not mean physical function cannot improve.

The August 2026 frailty review included participants with mean ages ranging from approximately 73 to 86 years and found improvements in gait speed, TUG performance, and sit-to-stand ability following exercise interventions. 

The amount of improvement varies between individuals.

Age, medical conditions, cognition, previous activity, strength, neurological status, and many other factors influence rehabilitation.

But:

being older does not automatically mean there is nothing that can be improved.

Should I Exercise if I Already Fell?

A previous fall should not automatically lead to avoiding physical activity.

Instead, it can be an important reason to obtain appropriate evaluation.

The CDC's STEADI framework emphasizes three steps:

Screen

Assess

Intervene.

Depending on the person, interventions may involve physical activity, medication review, vision care, footwear, environmental changes, medical management, rehabilitation, or combinations of these.

Should My Medications Be Reviewed?

Yes, when fall risk is a concern, medication review can be important.

Some medications may contribute to:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Blood-pressure changes
• Reduced alertness

The CDC recommends discussing medications with a physician or pharmacist when evaluating fall risk. 

A physical therapist does not independently change prescribed medication.

If medication appears potentially relevant, appropriate communication or referral is warranted.

Does Vision Matter?

Yes.

Vision contributes substantially to balance and safe navigation.

The CDC recommends regular eye care and notes that vision impairment can contribute to falls. 

Someone experiencing new vision changes should receive appropriate eye or medical evaluation.

Does Footwear Matter?

Footwear can influence:

• Stability
• Traction
• Foot clearance
• Comfort

The CDC recommends sturdy, properly fitting, nonslip footwear as one component of fall-risk reduction. 

No shoe can guarantee that someone will not fall.

But footwear is one modifiable environmental factor worth considering.

What Should I Change at Home?

Home modifications can sometimes reduce environmental hazards.

Depending on the home, considerations may include:

• Removing or securing loose rugs
• Improving lighting
• Clearing cluttered walkways
• Installing appropriate stair handrails
• Using grab bars where indicated
• Addressing slippery surfaces

The CDC and California Department of Aging both include environmental modification among fall-prevention strategies. 

What Does Research Say?

The fall-prevention evidence is evolving quickly in 2026.

August 2026 Exercise and Physical Frailty Meta-Analysis

Mehta and colleagues published a systematic review and meta-analysis in The Journal of Frailty & Aging in August 2026.

Researchers included:

14 studies

and

2,719 participants

with mean ages ranging from approximately 73 to 86 years.

Most programs involved multicomponent or resistance exercise.

Short-term exercise improved:

• Gait speed
• Timed Up and Go
• Five-times sit-to-stand performance

However, only two included studies reported actual fall incidence, so the review could not establish whether these functional improvements translate into fewer falls among physically frail older adults.

Evidence certainty was low to very low for several outcomes. 

This is an excellent example of why fall-prevention claims should remain precise.

Exercise can improve important physical functions without allowing a clinician to promise that an individual will never fall.

August 2026 Reactive Balance Systematic Review

Sharma and colleagues examined perturbation-based balance training in adults 65 and older.

The systematic review found approximately:

23% reduction in fall rate

and

24% reduction in injurious falls.

Reactive balance also improved.

Programs providing six or more total hours of perturbation training showed a larger fall reduction in subgroup analysis. 

The authors nevertheless noted limitations in evidence certainty and called for additional high-quality research.

2026 FallProof Meta-Analysis

A March 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis examined FallProof exercise programs and outcomes including:

• Balance
• Fear of falling
• Quality of life

The review supports continued research into structured, multidimensional balance programs rather than relying on one isolated exercise. 

2026 Frailty Evidence

The August frailty meta-analysis adds an important perspective:

Exercise can improve physical function even among older adults who are already physically frail.

The review found improvements in gait speed of approximately 0.09 m/s, TUG performance by approximately 3.73 seconds, and five-times sit-to-stand performance by approximately 2.66 seconds across the analyzed trials, although heterogeneity was high and certainty was low to very low. 

These are group-level findings.

They should not be used to predict exactly how much an individual patient will improve.

CDC Recommendations

The CDC recommends that older adults incorporate aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and balance activities as part of regular physical activity.

Adults 65 and older are generally advised to work toward at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, muscle strengthening on at least two days, and activities that improve balance, with individual modification based on health and ability. 

What Does All of This Mean?

The evidence does not support telling older adults:

“You're getting older, so falling is inevitable.”

It also does not support:

“Do this one balance exercise and you'll never fall.”

A more evidence-informed approach is:

identify risk factors → assess physical function → address modifiable limitations → progressively train strength and balance → improve environmental safety → coordinate with other healthcare professionals when appropriate.

Why Is This Topic Especially Important Today?

Today, September 21, 2026, begins Falls Prevention Awareness Week, which runs through September 25. 

The federal Administration for Community Living is also recognizing September 2026 as Falls Prevention Awareness Month, encouraging practical strategies that help older adults maintain independence. 

California has its own fall-prevention infrastructure.

The California Department of Aging administers the Dignity At Home Fall Prevention Program, designed to help reduce debilitating falls among older adults and people with disabilities through education, environmental assessment, home modifications, and other resources. 

For North Hollywood, Burbank, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Valley Village, Sherman Oaks, and surrounding Los Angeles communities, questions such as:

“Why am I losing my balance?”

“How can I prevent falls as I get older?”

“Can physical therapy improve balance?”

“What exercises help seniors with balance?”

and

“Where can I get balance physical therapy near me?”

represent highly relevant healthy-aging and rehabilitation search intent.

What Happens During a Physical Therapy Evaluation?

At Nova Physical Therapy, an evaluation for balance or mobility difficulty may include, when appropriate:

• Detailed fall history
• Near-fall history
• Medical history
• Medication-related discussion
• Dizziness history
• Walking assessment
• Lower-extremity muscle-performance testing
• Joint mobility
• Sit-to-stand performance
• Static balance
• Dynamic balance
• Turning
• Stepping
• Gait speed
• Timed Up and Go
• Stair ability
• Assistive-device assessment
• Functional mobility
• Appropriate vestibular screening when indicated
• Patient goals

Your physical therapist may ask:

Have you fallen in the past year?

Have you nearly fallen?

Do you feel unsteady while walking?

Do you feel dizzy?

Are you afraid of falling?

Is your balance worse in the dark?

Do you have difficulty getting out of a chair?

Do you use a cane or walker?

Do stairs feel unsafe?

Have you recently become less active?

What activities do you want to return to?

The Physical Therapy Board of California regulates physical therapy practice in California. Physical therapists evaluate and treat movement and functional impairments within their regulated professional scope; California physical therapy licensure does not authorize diagnosis of disease.

When balance symptoms suggest a medical condition or other problem requiring evaluation beyond physical therapy scope, appropriate referral is made.

When Should You Seek Medical Attention?

Balance problems can have musculoskeletal, vestibular, neurological, cardiovascular, medication-related, visual, and other causes.

Seek prompt or emergency medical attention for symptoms such as:

• Sudden severe loss of balance
• New facial drooping
• New one-sided weakness
• New difficulty speaking
• Sudden severe headache
• Loss of consciousness
• New chest pain
• Significant shortness of breath
• Fainting
• New severe neurological symptoms
• Significant head injury after a fall
• Suspected fracture
• Inability to bear weight after a fall
• Rapidly worsening symptoms

A sudden major change in balance is different from gradually noticing reduced steadiness over months or years.

Do not assume every new balance problem is simply due to aging.

Why Patients Choose Nova Physical Therapy

At Nova Physical Therapy, our mission is simple:

We Care.

For an older adult, losing confidence in balance can affect far more than walking.

Someone may stop:

going outside

using stairs

shopping independently

visiting friends

exercising

traveling

or even

walking around the neighborhood

because they are afraid of falling.

We do not want to create additional fear around movement.

And we do not believe the answer is simply:

“Be careful.”

Our goal is to determine:

What is difficult now?

What does the evaluation show?

Which physical factors can appropriately be improved?

How can activity be progressed safely?

Our rehabilitation philosophy emphasizes:

• Individualized evaluation
• Evidence-based care
• Progressive strengthening
• Balance training
• Walking and functional mobility
• Reactive balance when appropriate
• Patient education
• Confidence through progressive activity
• Home exercise
• Appropriate referral when needed

Healthy aging is not about avoiding every challenge.

It is about maintaining as much safe movement, function, participation, and independence as possible.

That is part of what We Care means to us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is losing balance a normal part of getting older?

Some age-related physical changes can influence balance, but repeated falls and significant unsteadiness should not simply be considered inevitable.

How common are falls after age 65?

The CDC reports that more than one in four adults 65 and older falls each year. 

Does falling once mean I will fall again?

Not necessarily, but a previous fall is an important risk factor and a reason to consider appropriate assessment.

Can physical therapy improve balance?

Physical therapy can address appropriate limitations involving balance, muscle performance, walking, functional mobility, and movement confidence.

Can physical therapy prevent every fall?

No. No rehabilitation program can guarantee that a person will never fall.

Can balance improve after age 70?

Yes. Research demonstrates that appropriately selected exercise can improve several measures of physical function in older adults. 

Can balance improve after age 80?

It can. The 2026 frailty meta-analysis included studies with participant mean ages extending into the 80s and found improvements in functional measures after exercise. 

Why do I lose my balance when I turn?

Turning requires rapid coordination of the head, trunk, legs, and feet while the base of support changes. Multiple factors can contribute to difficulty.

Why am I more unsteady in the dark?

Reduced lighting removes some visual information used for balance, which can make instability more noticeable in some people.

Why do I lose balance when I stand up?

Muscle performance and balance can contribute, but dizziness or lightheadedness when standing may require additional medical assessment.

Is walking enough for balance?

Walking is valuable physical activity, but some people may benefit from additional strengthening and balance-specific activities.

Should seniors strength train?

Appropriately selected muscle-strengthening activity is recommended for older adults and can support physical function. 

Is standing on one leg a good balance exercise?

It may be appropriate for some people, but balance programs should match the person's ability and safety needs.

What is reactive balance?

Reactive balance is the ability to recover stability after an unexpected disturbance such as a trip or loss of balance.

Can reactive balance be trained?

Yes. Recent research suggests perturbation-based balance training can improve reactive balance and may reduce falls in appropriately selected older adults. 

What is the Timed Up and Go test?

The TUG is a functional mobility test involving standing from a chair, walking, turning, returning, and sitting.

Does my TUG score predict whether I will fall?

No single test can perfectly predict future falls. Test results should be interpreted with the overall clinical evaluation.

Does Tai Chi help balance?

Tai Chi is one form of multicomponent activity that can challenge balance and has been studied extensively in older adults.

Should I use a cane?

Some people benefit from a cane, but the need, fit, and technique should be individualized.

Should medications be reviewed after a fall?

Yes. The CDC recommends medication review because certain medications may contribute to dizziness, drowsiness, or other fall-risk factors. 

Where can I get balance physical therapy in North Hollywood?

Nova Physical Therapy provides individualized evaluation and rehabilitation for appropriate balance, strength, gait, and functional-mobility limitations in North Hollywood.

Schedule an Evaluation

If you or a family member has noticed:

• Increasing unsteadiness
• A recent fall
• Repeated near-falls
• Difficulty walking
• Difficulty getting out of a chair
• Trouble using stairs
• Reduced confidence outside the home
• Fear of falling
• Reduced strength
• Difficulty returning to normal activity after a fall

Nova Physical Therapy can help determine whether physical therapy is appropriate.

Our licensed physical therapists provide individualized rehabilitation focused on:

• Balance
• Muscle performance
• Walking
• Functional mobility
• Progressive strengthening
• Sit-to-stand ability
• Stair negotiation
• Activity tolerance
• Healthy aging
• Maintaining independence

Because this week is Falls Prevention Awareness Week, it is also an excellent time for families to ask older relatives a simple question:

“Have you fallen or almost fallen recently?”

Many people never mention a near-fall unless someone asks.

Contact Nova Physical Therapy in North Hollywood to schedule a comprehensive physical therapy evaluation.

Disclaimer

This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical diagnosis, fall-risk clearance, exercise clearance, or individualized physical therapy treatment.

Balance difficulty, dizziness, weakness, falls, gait changes, and mobility limitations can have many causes. Symptoms alone do not establish a vestibular, neurological, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, visual, medication-related, or other medical diagnosis.

Physical therapists evaluate and treat movement and functional impairments within their regulated professional scope. California physical therapy licensure does not authorize diagnosis of disease.

Balance exercise, strengthening, gait training, assistive devices, home modifications, physical therapy, and other interventions cannot guarantee that an individual will not fall.

Research discussed in this article describes group-level findings and should not be interpreted as an individualized prediction of fall risk or rehabilitation outcome.

Seek appropriate medical care for sudden severe balance changes, new neurological symptoms, fainting, chest pain, significant shortness of breath, significant head injury, suspected fracture, inability to bear weight after a fall, or other concerning symptoms.

Individual results vary.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facts About Older Adult Falls. Updated September 8, 2026. More than one in four older adults falls each year, and approximately 4.5 million emergency-department visits annually are associated with older-adult falls. 
2. CDC. About Older Adult Fall Prevention. Updated September 8, 2026. Falls among adults 65 and older caused more than 43,000 deaths in 2024, and falls remain the leading cause of injury death in this population. 
3. Sharma S, Szabo IZ, Danielsen MB, et al. Perturbation-Based Balance Training Reduces Falls and Fall Injuries in Older People: Insights on Mechanisms and Training Parameters From a Systematic Review. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. August 2026;27(8):106316. Perturbation-based training reduced fall rates by approximately 23% and injurious falls by approximately 24% in the pooled analysis. 
4. Mehta P, Caldas Costa E, Galliano LM, et al. Exercise to Prevent Falls in Older Adults With Physical Frailty: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. The Journal of Frailty & Aging. August 2026;15(4):100187. Fourteen studies involving 2,719 participants were included. 
5. Alghosi M, Khazanin H, Faraji S, et al. The Effect of FallProof Exercise Programs on Balance, Fear of Falling and Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis. BMC Geriatrics. March 3, 2026;26(1):491.
6. Cheng M, et al. Optimal Type and Dose of Exercise to Improve Fall Behavior in Older Adults: A Systematic Evaluation and Network Meta-analysis. Ageing Research Reviews. January 2026. Twenty-one randomized trials involving 3,387 participants were included. 
7. CDC. What Counts as Physical Activity for Older Adults. Updated December 4, 2025. CDC recommends aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and balance activities as components of physical activity for adults 65 and older. 
8. CDC. STEADI: Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries. The clinical framework centers on Screen, Assess, and Intervene.
9. Administration for Community Living. Falls Prevention Awareness Month Is Here. September 3, 2026. 
10. National Council on Aging. Falls Prevention Awareness Week 2026. September 21–25, 2026. 
11. California Department of Aging. Dignity At Home Fall Prevention Program. California's program provides fall-prevention education, resources, environmental assessments, and qualifying home modifications. 

Current resources: CDC Older Adult Falls · CDC STEADI fall-prevention framework · 2026 reactive balance systematic review · 2026 exercise and frailty meta-analysis · California Dignity At Home Fall Prevention Program · 2026 Falls Prevention Awareness Week informationing enough to improve balance, Does