What to Know About Falls in Older Adults? Risk Factors, Predictors, and Therapeutic Interventions.

BACKGROUND

Approximately one quarter of community-dwelling older adults experience at least one fall each year. Falls can result in soft tissue injuries, fractures, or even death. Given this high prevalence, it is essential to identify fall-related risk factors, develop predictive models, and prescribe effective exercise-based interventions to prevent falls.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze risk factors, predictors, and therapeutic interventions for falls in older adults.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted in SCIELO, PUBMED, and PEDro databases between 15-20 October 2025. Inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed, open-access studies in English published from 2020 onward. Findings were categorized into three domains: (1) fall risk factors, (2) predictive models, and (3) exercise-based interventions. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Falls among older adults arise from multifactorial interactions involving physical, clinical, cognitive, and social factors such as impaired mobility, comorbidities, polypharmacy, and cognitive decline. Lower-limb strength and functional performance are key determinants of fall risk. Current predictive models show limited accuracy, with fall history as the strongest predictor. Exercise-based interventions, particularly multicomponent and home-based programs, improve balance, strength, and mobility but show variable effects on fall rates. The absence of standardized parameters for exercise prescription limits the development of evidence-based guidelines.

CONCLUSIONS

Falls in older adults are multifactorial events influenced by physical and cognitive decline. Predictive models remain imprecise, and although exercise interventions improve functional outcomes, their impact on reducing falls is inconsistent. Standardized exercise protocols are needed to optimize fall prevention strategies.