[Prevention of falls]

Falls among the elderly mainly result from aging, lack of exercise, and physical and/or mental disorders. They cause fractures and other injuries. It is necessary that likelihood of falling should be evaluated from the view point of both decreased physical function and fear of falling. General exercise including balance training is considered to be most effective to reduce falls. We must take good care not to cause falling and resultant fracture due to exercise of falls prevention program. Many sided intervention, including a check and counseling on medication and environmental improvement, walking in the sunshine, which stimulates vitamin D biosynthesis and so on, are needed. Further studies on falls prevention among the elderly with dementia and males receiving hormonal therapy with prostatic cancer are necessary.