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Finding Your Feet – Learn to Fall Safely at Northampton Judo Club

Northampton Judo Club is proud to be part of a nationwide initiative launched by British Judo to reduce the number of fall-related injuries among older adults by teaching essential skills based on adapted judo techniques.

Each year, falls are responsible for hundreds of thousands of hospital admissions. The NHS and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) report that:

  • Falls are the number one reason older adults are taken to A&E

  • 1 in 3 people over 65, and half of those over 80, will suffer at least one fall annually

  • Fragility fractures from falls cost the UK around £4.4 billion per year

  • Unaddressed hazards in homes contribute a further £435 million to NHS costs in England alone

To help tackle this, the Finding Your Feet programme is being rolled out across the country—and Northampton Judo Club is delivering it locally.

These sessions are designed to teach older adults and anyone worried about falling how to:

  • Improve their balance

  • Fall more safely

  • Get back up with confidence

Techniques include:

  • Tucking the chin when falling backwards

  • Falling forwards safely without using the hands

  • Rolling techniques to reduce injury and aid recovery

Led by Experts, Backed by British Judo

The programme was co-developed by Dr Katrina McDonald, a judo coach and academic from Anglia Ruskin University, and is being supported by Professor Mike Callan of the University of Hertfordshire, a global leader in judo research. Both highlight the importance of using judo to break the cycle of fear and inactivity caused by falls.

Nick Shepherd, British Judo’s Lead Club Support Officer and one of the tutors behind the national rollout, explains:

“The Finding Your Feet programme shows how judo can have a positive, lasting impact on people’s lives. While it focuses on older adults, anyone with a fear of falling is encouraged to take part.”

Register Your Interest with NJC

Northampton Judo Club will begin delivering Finding Your Feet sessions from Autumn 2024. If you or someone you know would benefit from building confidence and learning to fall safely, we’d love to hear from you.

Email: action@northamptonjudo.com

Let’s work together to build a safer, more confident community—one fall at a time.

Book A Finding Your Feet Class