The benefits of natural movement for ‘seniors’: from fear of falling to freedom through everyday movement
I remember being called a ‘mature mother’ when I gave birth to my last child at 35, which felt ridiculous. When I turned 50 and was told in a birthday card I was now eligible to go on a SAGA holiday, I balked at the thought! So describing those over 65 as ‘seniors’ feels inaccurate. However, I realise my glass is half full, because my grandmother was still very capable into her late 90s and I have made a conscious choice to talk about the ageing process positively, as this mindset is scientifically proven to improve health outcomes.
If you are 65 or over, the chances are that you’ve heard warnings about falling as an ‘older’ person (I say ‘older’ as I don’t believe in saying ‘old’). Maybe it was a doctor, a well-meaning family member, or the many headlines about ‘falls prevention for older adults’. Those messages are clear: be careful. But I think there’s a problem with that. Whilst the intention is good, I often feel the way the messages are written can fuel fear rather than freedom.
And fear can stop us trying new things, making us second-guess simple movements. It keeps us stiff, careful and increasingly choosing not to do things that will in fact make us more resilient and confident.
I offer a different way to think about movement in later life. Not as something to fear, but as something to explore. And not just as a means to avoid falling, but to move through life feeling more confidence and control.
The problem with ‘falls prevention’
The truth is, we can’t prevent all falls, at any age. Kids fall all the time and bounce back without a second thought. Adults trip, slip, and stumble too. Training for ‘falls prevention’ says to us that falling is something to avoid at all costs. And when we allow that fear to become more dominant in our thinking, we start shrinking the way we move.
But the less we move, the more vulnerable we become.
I don’t love the term falls prevention because it sets the wrong expectation. It makes us believe we’ve either failed if we do fall or that it’s a signal we’re on an inevitable path of decline, not capable of building the required resilience.
Instead, what if we focused on planning to fall well? On preparing our bodies (and our brains) to handle the unpredictable, rather than trying to eliminate it?
What if the real fear is the distance to the ground itself?
One reason falling feels scary is because the ground feels far away when we are looking down from standing. When I was in pain, the distance felt greater than ever before and that drove a cycle of fear.
If you don’t visit the ground often; if sitting on the floor or getting your centre (of gravity) low isn’t part of your life, it can seem like an impossible distance.
The good news is that familiarity changes fear.
When we regularly get to the ground and back up again, not only does our body remember how, our brain gets used to the distance. With frequency, our confidence grows as the gap starts to close, not just physically, but also emotionally, and that makes a huge difference.
Falling well: yes, it’s a skill (and one you can learn)
So what is the ability to fall well? I’m not saying you need to become a stuntman or get into parkour (!), but in the everyday way of preparing your body to respond. Things like your ability to ‘concertina’ to lower your centre of gravity in a controlled way, and your ability to bear weight through wrists and shoulders.
To do this, we need to practise more than moving in straight lines. We need to:
Turn, twist, and lower regularly on both one and two legs
Use our hands for support down to the ground, to lever back up and on it to build strength
Shift weight across different parts of the body in multiple patterns
Let the floor become a place of practice, not panic
Building this kind of ‘physical literacy’ is powerful at any age. And it’s never too late to start.
Simple natural movements that make a big difference
You don’t need a gym or special equipment. You just need to use your body in more ways, more often. These are the movements I encourage people to build into daily life, so you don’t need to remember to do your ‘falls prevention’ exercise checklist, instead it becomes integrated into life so they become your ‘norm’:
Get to the ground at least once a day - sit on a cushion, kneel to tie your shoes, or read the paper on the floor.
Use your hands and arms to push and resist - lean into them while seated, crawl a few steps, or shift weight from side to side.
Balance in different ways - walking on narrow surfaces by choice, standing on one leg near a wall using only a finger for reassurance, turning your head while you walk.
Vary your positions - change how you sit, kneel, or rest throughout the day. Every shift counts.
Walk with awareness - mix up your terrain; add rocky wobbly surfaces or the roots on a woodland path and let your feet help your brain and body respond.
These movements help build strength, mobility and adaptability, but just as importantly, they build trust in your own body and the playfulness and creativity can be really fun!
Movement is more than physical; it’s also social
There’s another layer to this that matters just as much, particularly as we age: connection.
Moving with others brings joy, motivation, and accountability. Whether it’s a group class, a walking group, or moving with a friend, shared movement helps us stay engaged and feel supported. Ageing well isn’t just about strong muscles, it’s helped by strong relationships too.
From fear to freedom: a different future is possible
So much of the conversation around ageing is based on limitations. ‘Don’t do this.’ ‘Be careful with that.’ But I believe there’s a different story we can tell; one of possibility, playfulness, and progress.
If you're noticing a fear of the ground creeping in, you can reintroduce your body to it gently and safely. We can’t avoid every stumble, but we can build the ability to handle them with confidence by expecting them to always occur and being ready. You don’t have to move perfectly, you just need to keep moving.
Natural movement is about rediscovering your own strength and capacity. It’s about finding joy in what your body can do, even if that looks different to what it used to.
So let’s not shrink our movement. Let’s choose to reclaim it, together.
If you are interested in ‘Reclaiming the ground’, but you’re not sure where to start - this autumn I’m bringing out a new short course to help you get started. To join the waiting list click on THIS LINK and you’ll be the first to know!
