Older people less likely to fall if they pay attention to their feet

Just as grey hair and wrinkles are widely accepted as a natural part of ageing, so is an increased risk of falling, which can happen for many reasons and with devastating consequences, including increased likelihood of injury, hospitalisation and even death. A new research study by human movement scientists at the University of Birmingham is seeking to reduce the risk to older people of falling, by investigating the relationship between gaze direction and walking behaviour. Coinciding with Falls Awareness Week, this research is hoping to uncover how an individual's risk of falling is related to what they are looking at, and where, as they walk. The researchers will test the theory that risk of falling is heightened when an individual prioritises looking ahead, focusing on upcoming obstacles, instead of looking down at their feet. This can leave individuals vulnerable to obstacles in the immediate area, increasing the chance of a fall. Lead researcher, Benjy Curzon-Jones from the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Birmingham explained: "Older adults at a high risk of falling tend to look towards future obstacles much sooner than those at a low risk, so they look up ahead rather than down at what they are doing. This means that visual attention to current stepping constraints is removed, which then causes a greater variability of foot placement and increases the chance of a fall." Last year, treatment for older people after falls cost the NHS £1.7 billion, and this figure is set to rise as life expectancy increases, therefore research into the prevention of falling will be crucial to reduce healthcare costs, as well as to improve the quality of life of older people at high risk of falling.