Falling with grace: how adapted martial arts techniques are helping seniors stay safe

Globally, falls rank as the second leading cause of accidental deaths (WHO, 2021). In 2020, there were 6,410 deaths reported from accidental falls in England and Wales, with 5,850 of these affecting individuals aged 65 and older (NHS, 2022). It is estimated that one in three adults over 65 and half of people over 80 will experience at least one fall per year (NHS, 2024). The aging population compounds the problem. In England, for example, the number of people aged 65-79 is expected to increase by nearly 30%, reaching over 10 million within the next 40 years. Similarly, the number of people aged 80 and older is expected to more than double to over 6 million (Centre for Aging, 2024). The cost of these falls to the NHS is estimated at over £2.3 billion annually (NHS, 2019), covering emergency hospital admissions, treatments, and ongoing care for injuries such as hip fractures, which are especially common among older adults. Recognising that not all falls are preventable, the University of Worcester launched the Fall Safe training programme in the summer of 2024. This initiative combines physical strength and balance training with adapted martial arts fall techniques, to empower older adults in the local community to better prepare for the physical consequence of a fall.