Fall Risk Factors

Getting older can cause changes in muscles, blood pressure control, vision, hearing, and balance. These changes can increase the risk of falling. Certain diseases, such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease, also can cause someone to fall more.

Falls rarely have a single cause. Usually, several risks combine to make falls more likely. Risks include those related to a person’s body and medical conditions, lifestyle, and environment.

Physical Risk Factors

As people age, they can have one or more conditions or diseases that can make falls or falls resulting in an injury more likely. These are some examples:

• Muscle weakness 
• Low blood pressure (also known as hypotension) and orthostasis (when someone’s blood pressure drops a lot after they stand up from lying or sitting down) 
• Dizziness, including vertigo, or balance difficulties
• Vision or hearing problems
• Brain or mood disorders, including dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or depression 
•  Fear that you will fall again
• Older age
• Other chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, anemia, and thyroid issues.
• Pain, particularly foot pain
• Poor nutrition and/or low Vitamin D
• Urinary or fecal incontinence (inability to control using the toilet) or having to make quick trips to the bathroom.

Medication Risk Factors

Medications can increase fall risk. Some medications have side effects such as dizziness or confusion that can also increase your fall risk. Using alcohol, especially while taking medications often increases fall risk.

Older adults often take many medications, which can cause side effects and react to one another. Medicines that can cause falls include:

• Antidepressants (depression medications) and other medications to treat mental health problems
• Antihistamines (to control allergy symptoms), including over-the-counter ones 
• Diuretics and blood pressure medications
• Drugs that treat dementia and Parkinson’s disease
• Insulin
• Muscle relaxants 
• Narcotic pain medications
• Sedatives and sleeping pills

Lifestyle Risk Factors

Lack of Exercise or Activity

Not exercising can increase fall risk. Exercise helps to keep muscles and bones strong as people age. When someone does not exercise, muscle strength and bone density can decrease more quickly. 

How active and functional someone is can also increase someone’s risk to fall. Continuing to do household activities like cleaning, yardwork, grocery shopping, and running errands all help preserve strength and function as people age. 

Diet

The following can lead to increased fall risk:

• Poor eating habits can lead to nutrition deficiencies and/or low blood sugar
• Not getting enough fluid daily (like water and/or non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic drinks) can lead to dehydration 
• Use of alcohol or recreational drugs 

Environmental Factors

The environment, like home and workspaces, can make falls more likely without an eye toward creating a safe space. Problems can include:

• Clutter or water on the floor
• Lack of sturdy handrails on stairs and grab bars in bathroom
• Loose carpets or wires
• Poor lighting, dark stairways or corridors
• Outdoor risks include uneven ground, construction areas, clutter in the yard, or ice and snow

Last Updated July 2024