March 13, 2026

Why Do We Trip and Fall More Often?

Few things in life are as unpleasant as tripping and falling face-first on the street or elsewhere, especially when there are many people around. By nature, the body's ability to balance, one of the most hard-won evolutionary skills, is largely lost in old age. Accidental falls worldwide often lead to serious injuries or even fatal outcomes, as evidenced by the fact that, after traffic accidents, accidental falls are the second leading cause of sudden death. Between 1990 and 2017, according to World Health Organization data, the total number of fatal falls worldwide nearly doubled, correlating with a loss of balance due to age. The frequency of accidental falls among the elderly has prompted aging physiologists to study complex int.