Fall Risk Assessment

A fall is so much more than an incident that can cause serious injury. Older adults who have fallen may start to worry that their independence is slipping away, while family members might wonder whether it’s safe for them to keep living on their own. But falling isn’t just something that happens as we age. In our experience, a fall is often the result of very specific, identifiable factors like weakened muscles, slower reflexes, changes in balance, or side effects to medication. As a result, these factors can even be assessed and addressed before a fall occurs.

A fall risk assessment provides a clear picture of your risk for a fall, identifying your specific risk factors and helping you improve your balance and control so that you can remain independent longer.

Our Three Principles for Better Health

Motus Integrative Health is a complete integrative health clinic serving Northwest Indiana from our Schererville office. Our patient-centered approach means our one and only focus is you. Whether your goal is to eliminate pain or return to activities you love, we build a plan around your body and your life.

Our approach rests on three principles: awareness, education, and intent. We help you understand the root cause of what’s happening rather than just its symptoms. We also ensure you can understand what’s happening in your body and why, and then we help you correct the problem so that you can move ahead with intent. For fall risk assessments specifically, this means we do not stop at telling you that you are “high risk.” We show you why, and we build a customized plan to change that outcome.

Who We Serve

A fall risk assessment is helpful for people in many different situations. For example:

• You have fallen recently or catch yourself stumbling more than once. You or your family want to understand what is contributing to it before it happens again.
• Your walking or balance has started to change. Slower steps, more hesitation when turning, or a growing need to hold onto furniture or railings signal that something is shifting, even without a fall yet.
• Everyday movement is taking more effort. Standing up from a chair, climbing stairs, or stepping onto a curb feels harder than it used to, and you want to know whether declining strength is putting you at risk.
• You have started avoiding activities out of fear of falling. Stairs, walking outside alone, exercise, or shopping have become sources of anxiety instead of normal parts of your day.
• You are worried about an older loved one living independently. Close calls, more cautious movement, or a need for more help around the house have you wanting real answers instead of guesswork.

Our Fall Risk Assessment Process

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Geriatrics Society recommend that all adults 65 and older receive a fall risk screening every year. At Motus Integrative Health, we build our assessment process around this same evidence-based standard. Then we personalize it to your specific health history and goals.

Step One: Initial Screening

We start with a conversation. Have you fallen in the past year? Do you feel unsteady when standing or walking? Are you worried about falling? These questions help us understand your baseline risk and determine what further testing makes sense.

Step Two: Functional Testing

Depending on your screening results, we assess your strength, balance, and gait using established clinical tools, including:

• Timed Up-and-Go Test: We measure how long it takes you to stand from a chair, walk 10 feet, and sit back down. Taking 12 seconds or more can indicate a higher fall risk.
• 30-Second Chair Stand Test: This measures leg strength and endurance by counting how many times you can stand and sit within 30 seconds.
• 4-Stage Balance Test: You will hold four increasingly challenging standing positions to assess static balance control.

Step Three: Contributing Factor Review

Falls rarely stem from a single cause. We also look at medications that may affect balance, home safety hazards, footwear, vision, and other health conditions that can raise your risk, such as vitamin D deficiency or joint pain.

Step Four: Personalized Intervention Plan

Based on your results, we develop a customized treatment plan. This may include balance training, strength-building exercises, chiropractic care, gait analysis, physical rehabilitation, or referrals to address other contributing factors. We explain exactly what we found and why we are recommending each intervention so you understand your own body better.

Step Five: Return to Confident Movement

Our goal is not simply to reduce your fall risk number. It is to help you move through your daily life with less fear and more capability, whether that means climbing stairs without hesitation or feeling steady on a walk around the block.

Why Choose Motus Integrative Health?

• Comprehensive, Detailed Assessment: We do not rush through a checklist. Every patient receives a thorough evaluation designed to uncover the actual cause of instability.
• Integrative Treatment Options: Our clinic combines chiropractic care, physical therapy, and functional medicine under one roof, so your fall risk plan can address strength, mobility, and your underlying health factors together.
• Personalized Plans, Not Generic Advice: Your treatment plan reflects your body, your history, and your goals, not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
• Experienced, Dedicated Team: Our chiropractors and physical therapists work collaboratively to support your safety and independence.

Take the Next Step

You shouldn’t wait for another fall to find out what is putting you at risk. A fall risk assessment at Motus Integrative Health gives you clear answers and a personalized plan to move through your days with more stability and less worry. Schedule your assessment with our Schererville office today.

Frequently Asked Questions