Falls Prevention Physio in Sheffield

Why falls prevention matters in Sheffield

Around one in three people over 65 has a fall each year, and after one fall the worry about another can be as limiting as any injury. Falls are not an inevitable part of getting older, though. Strength and balance exercise is the best proven way to reduce them, and it works at any age.

Sheffield makes this matter more than most places. The hills, steep streets, steps and winter pavements ask a lot of your legs and balance every time you go out. Home visits let the work happen where the risk actually is: on your stairs, in your bathroom, and on the route to your front gate.

What makes a fall more likely

Weak legs

Particularly the thigh and hip muscles you use to get up from a chair and climb stairs.

Poor balance

Often from inactivity, an illness or a hospital stay, and very trainable.

Medicines

Some cause dizziness or low blood pressure. Your GP or pharmacist can review them.

Eyesight and feet

Out of date glasses, painful feet and loose slippers all add risk.

Hazards at home

Rugs, clutter, poor lighting, and stairs without a second rail.

Fear of falling

Doing less because you are worried makes you weaker, which makes a fall more likely. Breaking that cycle is part of the programme.

What the programme includes

Strength and balance exercises built up over weeks, such as sit to stand, heel raises and standing balance work, pitched at what you can do safely now.
A look around your home for the handful of changes that make the most difference, without turning your house into a hospital.
Your walking aid checked, set to the right height, and used properly, or a clear view on whether you need one at all.
Getting up from the floor practised safely, so that if a fall does happen you know what to do.
Walking outside on your own street and slopes, when you are ready, to rebuild confidence where it matters.

If you do fall

Try to stay calm and check whether you are hurt before trying to move. If you can, roll onto your side, get onto your hands and knees, and use a sturdy chair to get up slowly. If you cannot get up, keep warm, call for help, and keep moving your legs gently. A pendant alarm or keeping a phone within reach is worth considering if you live alone.

After a fall, see your GP if you are injured, if you blacked out or felt dizzy beforehand, or if you have fallen more than once. Call 999 for a suspected broken hip or a head injury with drowsiness or vomiting.

Why Hamoodi

Hamoodi is a Senior Physiotherapist with an MSc in Physiotherapy and NHS experience at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Barnsley Hospital and Rotherham Doncaster & South Humber NHS. His specialist work has been in post-operative orthopaedics and trauma rehabilitation, on hospital wards and in outpatient clinics, so he knows the pathways people come home from and what the hospital team will usually have told you.

Every appointment is a home visit. There is no GP referral needed, and the first step is a free phone call to check that home physiotherapy is the right thing for you before anything is booked. Hamoodi also speaks Arabic, which some families find makes a real difference.

Your physiotherapist in Sheffield

Hamoodi Othman

Senior Physiotherapist

MSc Physiotherapy, BSc Sports Therapy, HCPC Registered (PH131379)
Falls prevention, balance training and elderly rehabilitation
Home visits across Sheffield and the surrounding South Yorkshire areas

Call Hamoodi on 07821 402 634

Please mention Mobile Physiotherapist.co.uk when you call.

View full profile

Home visits across Sheffield

Hamoodi visits homes right across Sheffield, including Hillsborough, Crookes, Walkley, Broomhill, Fulwood, Ranmoor, Ecclesall, Nether Edge, Sharrow, Woodseats, Dore, Totley, Heeley, Gleadless, Handsworth, Firth Park, Chapeltown and Stocksbridge. See the Sheffield page for everything Hamoodi offers locally.

Helpful guides

Frequently asked questions

I have not fallen, but I am worried I might. Is this for me?

Yes. Starting before a fall is the best time. If you feel unsteady, hold onto furniture to get around, or have stopped going out because of it, a programme can help.

How long does it take to improve balance?

Most people notice a difference within a few weeks, but the real benefit comes from keeping the exercises up for at least three months, several times a week.

Can you check my home for hazards?

Yes. It is part of the first visit, and the advice is practical rather than a long list of equipment to buy.

My mum is frightened of falling and won't go out. Can you help?

Yes. Fear of falling is very common, and building strength and practising walking outside, a little at a time, usually brings confidence back.

Should I see my GP first?

If a fall caused an injury, or you felt dizzy or blacked out beforehand, see your GP as well, as there may be a medical cause. For general unsteadiness you can book directly.

Do you cover the whole of Sheffield?

Yes. Every appointment is a home visit across the city and its suburbs.