The StandingTall program requires some equipment (a step box and foam) to add variety to your sessions and progress your exercises as your balance improves. Please refer to ‘Where to buy equipment’ on the Resources page. You will also need about 3m² of space to do the grid exercises. To exercise safely, please make sure to also have suitable support (e.g. kitchen bench) to steady yourself if you need.

We strongly recommend as part of a safe set up for completing the StandingTall exercises, you should always have a chair or something else sturdy like a bench nearby or within arm's reach as a support. Some of the exercises also suggest being positioned besides a wall or near a benchtop or table as they are more dynamic (moving as opposed to standing in a static position). Make sure that your chair does not have wheels and that your choice of support is stable and always within reach. Remember that anything located on the floor is a potential tripping hazard. Be careful when stepping around and onto the foam and box.

The dosage of 2 hours of balance exercise is a recommendation based on the best current research evidence.

It is normal to feel unbalanced. Balance exercises, in order to improve balance need to be at a level where you feel unsteady. It should not feel so unsteady that you are constantly grabbing onto the chair, wall or putting your foot down. An exercise is too easy if you feel completely steady/still. In the StandingTall program you will rate how difficult you perceive the exercise to be and this will help tailor the exercises to your ability.

Yes. Another user can create a new profile in settings. Having separate profiles is important because the exercises are specifically tailored to each separate user’s ability. You need to be connected to the internet to switch users so that the data from the previous user is saved.

Yes. You may pause an exercise session for up to 30 minutes by tapping ‘Pause Exercise’ in the top left corner of the screen. If the session is not resumed within 30 minutes the session data will be lost and you will be returned to the main menu where you will need to start a new session.

If you are inactive during your session, the program will issue a timeout warning after 10 minutes and the session will expire if you remain inactive for a total 15 minutes. After this time, you will be returned to the main menu and have to start a new session.

In the event of a fall or injury while exercising, please contact your health care professional or in an emergency call 000 in Australia and 999 in the UK. Additionally, if you are a participant in a research study, please get in touch with your local StandingTall contact or if in Australia,  phone the StandingTall Helpline on (02) 9399 1083.

Yes. If you can walk 10m without the use of a walking aid inside your home and don’t require the aid to maintain a standing position then the program is suitable to use. Just ensure that you always have a sturdy chair or bench next to you to hold onto while doing the exercises. You have the option to pause an exercise session for up to 30 minutes to take a break if you feel tired.

Yes. We know that specific balance exercises, such as StandingTall, are the most effective way to improve your balance and prevent falls. There is currently no evidence that doing aerobic exercises (such as walking, cycling, swimming), strength training exercises (using machine weights, free weights and bodyweight), and flexibility training (stretching) can reduce your risk of falling.

If you are concerned about continuing or recommencing your exercises, please contact your health professional. When recommencing the program, please ensure to rate the intensity of each exercise as honestly as possible so that the program is able to tailor each exercise appropriately. Your health professional might also decide to change your exercise level to suit your current balance skills.

It is important to accurately rate the difficulty of each exercise at the end of each set. Rate 1 if you are finding the exercises too challenging and you need hand support to do them so that next session the exercises you are given will be at an easier level.

If you are still finding the exercises are too challenging, you can seek help from your health care provider/exercise specialist or adjust them manually in Settings. Go to Settings from the main menu, select ‘Exercises’, then adjust the checkpoint/s for the relevant exercise type. Decreasing the checkpoint number will make the exercise easier. You also have the option to switch off exercises. Once you are feeling more confident, return to settings and switch the exercises back on to offer more variety and challenge with your exercises.

Some muscle soreness when you first start exercising is normal. If the exercise is giving you muscle soreness that doesn’t last more than 3 days, it might be just that your muscles aren’t accustomed to being used in the way the exercises in StandingTall are using them. Unless this problem persists past 2 weeks or is affecting your ability to perform daily tasks you can continue with the program. Talk to your health professional if the pain/soreness persists or is affecting your daily function.

If the exercises are giving you joint pain, talk to you health professional as some of the exercises can be removed from the program. Another potential solution is trying shorter sessions more often, but if the pain persists talk to your health professional.