Definitions of a fall

Using a standard definition of 'a fall' makes reporting of falls more likely and more consistent. One commonly used definition is:

'An event, which results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or other lower level' - World Health Organisation (external link)

Other definitions of a fall include:

• 'Unintentionally coming to the ground or some lower level and other than as a consequence of sustaining a violent blow, loss of consciousness, sudden onset of paralysis as in stroke or an epileptic seizure.'

  (Gibson, M.J., Andres, R.O., Isaacs, B., Radebaugh, T., Worm-Petersen, J. [1987]. The prevention of falls in later life. A report of the Kellogg International Work Group on the prevention of falls by the elderly. Danish Medical Bulletin 34 (Suppl 4): 1-24.)

• 'A sudden, unintentional change in position causing an individual to land at a lower level, on an object, the floor, the ground or other surface' (Abbreviated).

  This includes: slips, trips, falling into other people, being lowered, loss of balance, and legs giving way. If a patient/resident is found on the floor, it should be assumed that they have fallen unless they are cognitively unimpaired and indicate that they put themselves there on purpose.

  (The Victorian Quality Council Guidelines for Minimising the Risk of Falls & Fall-related Injuries [2004] Based on the definition devised by Tinetti, M., Baker, D., Dutcher, J., Vincent, J., Rozett, R. [1997]. Reducing the risk of falls among older adults in the community. Berkeley, C.A.: Peacable Kingdom Press.)

• 'A fall is a sudden, unintentional change in position causing an individual to land at a lower level, on an object, the floor, or the ground, other than as a consequence of a sudden onset of paralysis, epileptic seizure, or overwhelming external force.'

  (Tinetti, M., Baker, D., Dutcher, J.,Vincent, J., Rozett, R. [1997]. Reducing the risk of falls among older adults in the community. Berkeley, C.A.: Peacable Kingdom Press. This definition has also been cited in Feder, G., Cryer, C., Donovan, S., Carter Y. 2000. Guidelines for the prevention of falls in people over 65. British Medical Journal 321: 1007-11.)

• 'Unintentionally coming to rest on the ground, floor, or other lower level.'

  (Wolf, S., Barnhart, H., Kutner, N., McNeeley, E., Coolger, C., Xu, T. et al. [1996]. Reducing frailty and falls in older persons: An investigation of Tai Chi and computerised balance training. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 44: 489-97.)

• 'An unexpected loss of balance resulting in coming to rest on the floor, the ground or an object below knee level.'

  (Lach, H.W., Reed, A.T., Arfken, C.L., Miller, J.P., Paige, G.D., Birge, S.J. & Peck, W.A. [1991]. Falls in the elderly: Reliability of a classification system. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Volume 39: 197-202.)