Level 3
Core Balance for Promoting Falls Prevention
An advanced course for Chair-Based Exercise Instructors, focusing on integrating neuromotor and balance training to support falls prevention in low to medium risk older adults.
Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and loss of independence among older adults. This course equips qualified instructors with the specialist knowledge and practical skills to enhance their existing classes with evidence-informed neuromotor and balance training, creating effective multimodal programmes for those at low to medium risk.
Please note: You must already hold a Chair-Based Exercise Instructing certificate to enrol in this Level 3 course.
Overview
This course is 100% online course with access for 12 months. It is assessed via an online test and your certificate can be automatically downloaded on completion of the course.
This courses takes approximately 12-16 hours to complete. A comprehensive 481-page course book is available for purchase to accompany the course.
Note: This course is not intended for rehabilitation or for individuals at high risk of falling. Instead, it focuses on primary prevention, helping participants build strength, stability, and confidence before falls occur.
Content
- Understanding falls: Learn about the causes and consequences of falls in older adults, including physical, medical, and environmental risk factors. Explore the broader impact on health and social care systems.
- Effective prevention strategies: Discover how a multifactorial approach can significantly reduce fall risk.
- Balance fundamentals: Understand how static and dynamic balance support safe movement, and how sensory systems (visual, vestibular, proprioceptive) contribute to stability.
- Biomechanics of balance: Learn how body alignment, centre of gravity, and muscular control affect balance and help prevent falls.
- Postural control: Discover how the body maintains equilibrium using ankle, hip, and stepping strategies, and how to coach upright posture and smooth transitions.
- Core stabilisation: Explore how trunk muscles and neuromotor control support posture and movement, and how to train core strength for functional tasks.
- Neuromotor exercises: Learn how to improve coordination, proprioception, and agility through scalable chair-based or supported movements.
- Reactive balance training (RBT): Understand how to train quick, automatic responses to slips and trips using safe, progressive challenges.
- Dual-task training: Learn how combining physical and cognitive tasks improves attention, adaptability, and safety in everyday environments.
- Motor learning principles: Discover how structured practice, feedback, and progression build lasting movement skills for real-life function.
- Seated balance (Group 1 exercises): How to build core strength, trunk control, and postural awareness through safe, supported movements.
- Sit-to-stand transitions (Group 2 exercises): How to improve strength, flexibility, and coordination for rising from a chair, boosting confidence and independence.
- Standing balance (Group 3 exercises): How to enhance lower-body strength and core stability using supported standing exercises.
- Walking balance (Group 4 exercises): How to apply balance skills to dynamic movement, improving gait, obstacle navigation, and confidence in real-world settings.
- Integrating Core Balance into classes: How to blend aerobic, strength, flexibility, and balance work into engaging, progressive chair-based sessions for varied abilities.
- Adapting chair-based exercises: How to modify standard movements to better target core strength and balance using posture cues, resistance, and cognitive challenges.
Format & Assessment
Key Documents
Quick Links
Course Book
A printed course book covering all course content is included with live virtual (Zoom) courses. It's also available as an optional add-on for those enrolled in online learning.
