Being anxious about falling may increase an older person's risk of having a fall, a new study has found.

The study found that some people who are not actually at high risk of falls may have irrational fears about falling and said people's anxieties should be taken into account when assessing their risk of falling.

Fear of falling is common in older people; however, researchers from Australia and Belgium found that some older people who have irrational fears of falling can be helped through behavioural therapy.

Five hundred Australians over 70 years of age took part in the study.

All had medical and psychological checks before being tested for their risk of falling. During the 12-month study, 43% had one or more falls.

Those who were anxious about falls actually had a low risk of falling but had increased likelihood of depression symptoms, neurosis and poor physical health.

Almost 40% of this group had a number of falls falls over the 12 months of the study.

In contrast, the group who were less anxious about falls actually had a high risk of falling but did not think they were in danger of doing so.

Only one-third of this group had one or more falls.

The researchers said excessive fear of falling can lead to needless restrictions in performing physical and social activities, resulting in physical deconditioning, poor quality of life, social isolation, depression and psychological distress.

They said that those who had an excessive fear of falls could be helped through behavioural therapy.

The study was published in the British Medical Journal