How do poor balance and muscle weakness contribute to falls?

Abstract A large proportion of all falls occur because of the combination of impaired balance and weak muscles. Both of these factors become common with increasing age, and usually both are present when someone who has fallen is seen in the clinic. Trying to work out which is the major factor in any individual is often impossible, as they are inextricably linked.Muscle weakness Muscle weakness has many causes: any illness will cause muscle weakness painful joints cause loss of muscle around the joint, with weakness and a tendency for the joint to give way previous injury, surgery, or disability, especially in the legs prolonged immobility causes wasting and weakness? deconditioning—not using the muscles enough—is very common specific neurological conditions such as stroke and neuropathy lead to weakness