Balance matters when stepping off a kerb, turning in a kitchen or moving around the garden. A loss of confidence can lead to avoiding activity, even before a serious fall occurs. The answer is not automatically a new pair of insoles. Balance draws on strength, vision, sensation, coordination and the environment around you.
A review of real clinical outcomes
Sherrington and colleagues' 2019 Cochrane review included 108 randomised trials involving 23,407 community-dwelling older people. Across the 59 studies contributing to the falls-rate analysis, exercise reduced the rate of falls by 23%, with high-certainty evidence. That refers to the number of falls over time, not 23 percentage points fewer people falling.
The review separately found a 15% relative reduction in the number of people experiencing at least one fall. Balance and functional exercise were important components. The evidence should not be used to claim that every exercise class, a gait scan or an insole delivers the same result.
Where the uncertainty remains
Many trials had unclear or high risk of bias in at least one area. Adverse events were incompletely monitored, and evidence for some outcomes, including fractures and hospital admission, was less certain. These findings apply to the studied older populations rather than establishing a universal percentage benefit.
A safer starting point
- Use a stable support and an appropriate starting level for any balance exercise.
- Practise functional movements under suitable guidance if your confidence is low.
- Review footwear, lighting, trip hazards and any recommended mobility aid.
- Discuss repeated falls, dizziness or medication effects with your GP.
Do not begin challenging unsupported single-leg exercises simply because a website recommends them. If you have fallen, feel dizzy or have reduced sensation, you may need a broader clinical assessment. Sudden weakness or a new neurological symptom requires urgent medical attention, not a routine wellness booking.
How the foot station fits
At Zhen, gait and foot-arch assessment, CURREX FOOTDISC and suitable insoles can help explore footwear and movement needs. A footprint or gait report does not identify every cause of imbalance and cannot diagnose nerve or vascular disease. The most useful approach connects feet with the rest of your movement and refers on when needed.
A personalised mobility plan may include strength, balance practice and practical changes. The aim is safer, more confident activity; it is not a promise that you will never fall. Reviewing how you move in ordinary life is more useful than treating a scan score as the whole answer.
Your next step in Onchan
At Zhen Wellness, 5c Village Walk, Onchan, the starting point is your body and your priorities, not a package chosen before an assessment. The £97 Longevity MOT is a standalone 60-minute appointment covering history and goals, pain mapping where relevant, posture, body composition and mobility. It helps inform practical next steps; it is not a medical diagnosis or a test that predicts how long you will live. Any later programme is separate, with options and costs discussed before you decide.
Evidence and scope
Sources checked on 12 October 2026. The research below examines specific interventions and populations, not Zhen programmes. No study is free of possible bias, and an average trial result is not an individual guarantee. This is general education, not personal medical advice. Advice for adults should not be applied unchanged to children; younger clients need age-appropriate support and consent arrangements. Seek professional advice for new or worsening symptoms, existing medical conditions or changes to exercise and nutrition that could affect treatment. Do not stop prescribed medication.