The objective of this descriptive study was to analyze the incidence of and factors associated with falls among elderly who practice physical activities. The sample consisted of 25 elderly who participated in the Elderly Physical Activities Program at the Sports Center of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Data was collected through application of a semi-structured interview and analyzed according to descriptive statistics. A low fall percentage (7.63%) was identified among the elderly participants of this study. The factors associated with falling were: female gender, being between 70 to 79 years old, and having vision problems. Most of the falls occurred at home and following their fall, these elderly began to have restrictions in their daily activities. The majority of the sample reported a fear of falling again. The study indicates that physical activity is a protective factor concerning falls.
Accidental falls; Aging; Physical activity
