Rebuilding arm strength
From fracture weakness to carrying the weekly shop.
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Steady again at seventy-two.
Two falls, one fractured confidence — and a twelve-week balance programme that gave Arthur his streets back.
Overview
Arthur, 72 — recurrent falls, fear of stairs.
Arthur had fallen twice in eighteen months — once on a kerb, once on his own stairs. Un hurt seriously either time, but the fear did its own damage: he stopped walking to the shops, stopped using the upstairs bathroom at night and started declining invitations.
His falls-risk screening scored in the high-risk band. His goal was simple and non-negotiable: walk to the park with his wife without holding her arm.
Challenge → approach → result
Challenge
Weak base, high fear
Hip and ankle strength tested poorly, single-leg standing lasted four seconds, and every new surface triggered visible anxiety.
Approach
Safe, progressive challenge
Twice-weekly Balance Works sessions — strength circuits, foam-pad standing, ball work and kerb rehearsal — with a carer present throughout.
Result
Park walks, unaided
Re-testing moved Arthur to the low-risk band: thirty-second single-leg stands, confident stairs, and the park walk achieved in week ten.
What made the difference
We trained confidence, not just muscles.
Falls rehabilitation fails when it only counts reps. Arthur's programme deliberately rehearsed the scary moments — kerbs, crowds, carrying — until they felt boring. Explore the programme: Balance Works.
Keep reading
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Know your falls-risk score.
Book a balance screening and leave with a score, a safety checklist and a plan.
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