In-Home Physical Therapy Exercises for Fall Risk and Prevention

Physical Therapy is often prescribed for rehabilitation after an injury or surgery. However, physical therapy can also be useful prior to surgery to maintain strength, mobility and flexibility. Another area that physical therapy can be applied is Fall Risk and Prevention.

Fall Risk and Prevention

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in every four Americans age 65+ fall each year.

Working with your physical therapist can identify strength imbalances and weaknesses to prevent falls and improve independence.

PartnerMD Health Coach created a simple exercise plan that can easily be done in your home to improve leg strength. We’ve added their exercises into a Home Exercise Program (HEP) using the PT-Helper CONNECT platform and presented on the PT-Helper mobile app. These sample exercises can be quickly downloaded into the PT-Helper mobile app using

You can also find these exercises in the Knee and Hip category in the PT-Helper mobile app to add to your Favorites which allows you to customize each exercise’s repetitions, sets, and hold time.

The recommended exercises include:

1. Knee Extension (sitting)


While sitting, raise your leg by straightening your knee fully while contracting your quad. Slowly lower your leg. Weights may be placed around your ankle.

2. Seated Knee Flexion


Sit on the edge of a chair or bench. Extend one leg to the front so that your foot is further out in front of the remaining bent leg. While pushing your foot down into the ground, drag your extended foot back towards your other foot. Repeat.

3. Chair Rise


Sit on the edge of a chair with both feet flat on the floor. Stand upright without using your hands. Return back to the seated position using the “nose over toes” posture, leaning forward so that your nose is over your toes while slowly bending your knees.

4. Hip Abduction with Support


Stand with good posture beside a solid table, bench or kitchen sink. Look straight ahead. Rest your hand on the bench. Keep both thighs tight. Kick out to the side keeping toes straight ahead and both legs straight, then return to starting point. If you loose balance, grasp the table, bench or kitchen sink to regain your balance.

5. Leg Cross


Stand with good posture beside a solid table, bench or kitchen sink. Look straight ahead. Rest your hand on the bench. Lift one foot off the ground slightly in front of you. Cross your lifted foot across the mid-line of your body so that it is on the outside of the planted foot. Hold. Return to your starting point. Repeat. If you loose balance, grasp the table, bench or kitchen sink to regain your balance.