Falls, bones and the primary care team

Falls are a common and serious cause of disability and death amongst the growing older population. As most falls are multifactorial, effective fall prevention strategies require a package of measures to be addressed in parallel (medication review and modification; detection and treatment of postural hypotension and heart disease; strength and balance exercise training for muscle weakness and instability; home hazard modification). The last decade has seen the emergence of a wealth of research evidence on effective fall prevention, but unfortunately, real world clinical practice is lagging far behind the evidence base. Much of the expertise and skills for effective fall prevention already exists within the primary care team. Responsibility for injury prevention extends beyond general practice, but the primary care team must be prepared to play its part.