10/06/2026
Wednesday Wellness
Last week, one of my patients booked an appointment for her husband — and came along with him.
When I asked what brought them in, Sally told me she was “sick and tired of having to help Bill off the floor.” They loved going for picnics, but every time they sat on the grass, Bill had real difficulty getting back up.
Bill was 80. Sally was in her late 70s.
They were both active, fit, and generally in good health. They walked regularly, Sally did yoga, and both played golf. Bill even had a weights routine he did in his garage.
On paper, they were doing all the right things.
But then I took Bill into the gym.
Using some soft mats and a box to simulate a piece of furniture, I helped him down onto the floor. He lay on his back, and I asked him to get up.
It took well over a minute.
There was a lot of effort, a lot of struggle, and a lot of inefficient movement — but eventually, Bill got himself standing.
Then I taught him a few simple, functional movement patterns:
-Rolling
-Getting onto all fours
-Moving into a lunge-squat position
-Rising to stand
Nothing fancy. Nothing extreme. Just practical movement skills that directly relate to real life.
I asked him to practise these daily and booked a follow-up for two weeks later.
Two weeks.
When Bill returned, he had a huge smile on his face.
We went back into the gym. I put him on the floor and asked him to get up again.
This time, with no box and no assistance, Bill got to standing in 14 seconds.
From over 60 seconds to 14.
From looking, in his own words, “like an old man,” to moving with confidence and independence.
That is the power of specific, functional practice.
Falls prevention is not a minor issue. It is one of the most important public health conversations we should be having.
In Aotearoa, falls account for around 40% of all ACC claims — more than 750,000 claims every year. The total cost is around $2 billion annually.
Serious falls are also a leading cause of injury and death in older New Zealanders.
1 in 3 people over 65 will fall each year
1 in 2 people over 80 will fall each year
And for many older adults, the fall itself is only part of the problem.
A major issue is what happens next:
Can they get back up?
Can they do it without help?
Can they do it before pain, fear, panic, or exhaustion sets in?
Over the past few months, I’ve heard too many stories of older people falling and then lying there for hours, unable to get up before help arrived.
That is devastating — and in many cases, preventable.
Yes, prevention matters.
Strength, balance, and power training should be a part of everyone’s wellbeing plan — and it becomes absolutely essential as we age. That includes:
Strength work
Balance training
Practising quick changes of direction
Power-based movements, where appropriate, such as hopping, stepping, and controlled impact work
And importantly, practising getting on and off the floor
Because if we never practise these skills, we cannot assume they’ll be there when we need them.
Too often, our healthcare system invests at the bottom of the cliff instead of building the fence at the top.
ACC already invests heavily in falls prevention, including community strength and balance classes and home hazard assessments. That is important work. But we need more focus on proactive, practical physical capacity.
Some research suggests that for every $1 invested in programmes that help older adults live stronger and longer, the return is around $5.20.
This is not just good healthcare.
It is good sense.
To every health professional, trainer, therapist, or clinician working with adults over 55, I would challenge you to ask one simple question:
Can you get up off the floor?
If the answer is no, if they are unsure, or if they haven’t tried in 10–15 years, that matters.
If they are fearful of getting onto the floor, teach them safely.
If they need guidance, give it.
If it’s outside your scope, refer them to someone who can help.
We have a rapidly ageing population. If we want people to live longer, they must also be able to live stronger, safer, and more independently.
Sometimes the most basic functional task tells us the most.
Getting off the floor may be one of the clearest markers of confidence, resilience, and independence in later life.
We need to stop treating this as an afterthought
Get in touch if you want to live stronger & better
https://www.everfit.co.nz/contact
