Introduction

Falls are an intriguing problem. On the one hand, they are commonplace events, afflicting the human species from childhood through to old age. Often, the outcome is no more serious than a loss of dignity and a degree of embarrassment for the individual concerned. When injuries result, however, they can be debilitating and far-reaching, with detrimental consequences for the injured person’s family, his or her colleagues, and employer. Set against this, efforts aimed at prevention face the considerable challenge of foiling the many, varied, and interacting circumstances that cause falls to occur.