What a near fall is

Near fall

A near fall is a stumble or slip that the person catches in time, so they do not hit the ground. They may grab a wall, a rail or a nearby person to steady themselves.

It often passes without injury, so it is easy to ignore or not mention.

This matters because a near fall is an early warning sign. It often comes before a real fall, and it points to a problem with balance, strength or safety at home.

Physiotherapy uses these near misses as useful information. They tell us what to work on before a serious fall happens.

At home our physiotherapist checks why the near falls happen, then works on balance, leg strength and safer walking. We also look for trip hazards, so the small warnings do not turn into a real fall.