Pensioners to get JUDO lessons to improve their balance and teach them how to fall safely

Pensioners will be given judo lessons to improve their balance and teach them how to fall safely in a bid reduce injuries and hospital admissions.

Coaches from sports body British Judo will touch on 18 different judo techniques that have been adapted for elderly Britons at risk of harm.

The exercises and movements aim to boost strength and balance, reduce the fear of falling and minimise the injuries from a fall.

The experts will also demonstrate how to get up easily after taking a tumble, as part of the nationwide Finding Your Feet programme.

There are around 210,000 fall-related hospital admissions for over-65s in England each year, according to Age UK.

One in three people aged over 65 and half of those aged over 80 will suffer at least one fall a year, with fragility fractures costing the UK an estimated £4.4billion annually.

Separate figures show falls are the number one reason older people are taken to A&E, with unaddressed fall hazards in homes costing the NHS in England an estimated £435 million.

The techniques being taught include yoko ukemi, which is a sideways fall that instills the three principles of falling: protecting the head, creating a large surface area, and timing and rolling.

Other key techniques will include learning how to tuck the chin in when falling backwards and how to fall forward without using hands.

A series of ‘train the trainer’ sessions have now begun, with judo coaches preparing to deliver classes to the general public from the second half of this year.

Dr Katrina McDonald, a judo coach and senior lecturer in sport and exercise science at Anglia Ruskin University, helped to write the Finding Your Feet programme for British Judo.

She said: ‘There is a vicious circle associated with falling that the Finding Your Feet programme is aiming to break.

‘When an individual has a fall they are scared of it happening again and so they limit their activity, but this in turn weakens their muscles and balance which, over time, can increase the risk of another fall.

‘A key way of mitigating a fear of falling is by giving older people – and the wider public – the tools and knowledge to be able to fall in a way that lowers the risk of injury, and, in turn, boosts their confidence to be able to become more active.

‘While the programme is in its early stages it has great potential to make a meaningful difference not just to older adults, but the whole of society, and I am looking forward to seeing it gain momentum.’

Professor Mike Callan, of the University of Hertfordshire and a member of the International Judo Federation Scientific Committee, is leading the global roll out of safer falling for older adults through judo.

He said: ‘Judo coaches have a valuable skill set as they understand the key principles of falling safely.

‘By teaching these techniques to older adults, judo can make a significant contribution to a particular problem for society.’

Nick Shepherd, lead club support officer at British Judo and one of the tutors delivering the ‘train the trainer’ sessions, said: ‘The Finding Your Feet programme epitomises what judo is all about – it is a sport for everyone which strives to have a positive impact on people’s everyday lives.

‘While the sessions have been adapted to help improve older people’s confidence with falling, we are encouraging anyone who has a fear of falling to register their interest with us for one of the sessions later in the year.’