[Fear of falling in older people]

Fear of falling and poor physical performance are prominent symptoms in many older people. The prevalence of fear of falling in community-living elderly ranges between 12 % and 65 %, and is higher in women than men. It commonly occurs after falls, but it also occurs without a previous fall history. One of the major consequences of fear of falling is the restriction and avoidance of activities. However, not all elderly with fear of falling avoid activities in daily life. Some elderly only become cautious, which may be functional in preventing falls. Only a small percentage of elderly show a pattern of excessive fear and restriction of activities. The consequences of this pattern may, however, be debilitating and devastating. Excessive fear and avoidance may compromise the quality of life, and may result in a decline of physical capabilities and, ultimately, in an increased risk of falls, which may further fuel fear and avoidance. Future research should investigate whether individualised intervention strategies are efficient in preventing falls and activity-related fear of falling within this population in order to improve her quality of life.