128: Does "Balance Training" Prevent Falls, or Just Improve Balance? Video
Movement Logic: Strong Opinions, Loosely HeldShow Notes
In this episode, we break down what drives fall risk, and why the common advice to "just work on your balance" falls short. We explore how falls are measured, what balance tests really tell us (and what they don't), and why improving a test score doesn't automatically mean you're less likely to fall in real life.
We dig into the evidence on exercise and fall prevention, and explain why simpler, consistent exercise programs often outperform more complex approaches. We also look at surprising findings, like a randomized trial where a yoga group fell more than the control group, and what that reveals about confidence vs actual capacity.
From there, we focus on what matters most: power, reaction time, and the ability to recover from instability. Most falls aren't failures of static balance; they're failures to respond quickly when something goes wrong.
Finally, we cover what almost no one talks about: what happens after you fall. We discuss "long lies," why getting up off the floor is a critical independence skill, and how a small amount of targeted practice can make a meaningful difference.
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RESOURCES
* CDC data on falls in older adults [https://shorturl.at/QGCx6] * 2024 Korean study on fear of falling [https://shorturl.at/CDini] * 2024 JAMA / USPSTF systematic review [https://shorturl.at/ZvT1w] * 2025 SAGE RCT, Iyengar yoga and falls [https://tinyurl.com/v32rw6wr] * 2020 Sherrington et al. Cochrane Review [https://tinyurl.com/ycsfn4m2] * 2017 Sherrington et al. Cochrane Review [https://tinyurl.com/n9mkktrs] * 2022 Simpkins et al. power vs strength [https://tinyurl.com/ykmf3keb] * 2025 Zhu et al. power and fall prediction [https://tinyurl.com/e2zb7nws] * 2021 Okubo et al. stepping impairments and fall risk [https://tinyurl.com/3veunjmk] * 2022 Devasahayam et al. reactive balance training [https://tinyurl.com/4ywxyz7z] * Sheffield Long Lies Study [https://tinyurl.com/7rnbbtpv] * Floor Rise Training Trial [https://tinyurl.com/2xmzsys5]
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