Fall prevention and ICF classification as a permanent element of modern spa treatment – recommendations for pilot implementations in Poland

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Details: Category: 2026, Volume 22; 09 March 2026; Hits: 90

Patryk Wicher¹,^,Adam Sulimski¹, Anna Wicher¹, Kazimierz Witkowski², Bartłomiej Gąsienica-Walczak³, Michał Kruszewski⁴

¹Higher School of Business – National Louis University, Nowy Sacz, Poland.
²Faculty of Sport Science, University School of Physical Education, Wroclaw, Poland.
³ Health Institute, University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Targ, Poland.
⁴Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Poland;

Author for correspondence: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; Higher School of Business – National Louis University, Nowy Sacz, Poland. ; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Health Institute, University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Targ, Poland;

Patryk Wicher: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1330-3639

Adam Sulimski: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2509-1777
Anna Wicher: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6434-6914
Kazimierz Witkowski: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1503-9904
Bartłomiej Gąsienica-Walczak: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7818-6333
Michał Kruszewski: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6056-754X

Abstract

Background and Study Aim: Effective fall prevention, although often associated primarily with the issue of aging societies, must encompass the entire population. The fundamental premise of this assumpxion is the obvious fact that every independently mobile person will fall against their will at least once in their life. Although spa treatment primarily targets elderly individuals, the complex circumstances of this form of medical service, contrary to appearances, broadens the perspective of fall prevention (modern senior safety management) to the benefit of the entire public health sector. This approach fits into a complementary healthcare reform with key elements: systemic strengthening of prevention as the foundation of geriatric care; and opximizing existing healthcare resources. The cognitive aim of this work is to draw implications from the available knowledge on the key issues of causes and effects of unintentional falls combined with the assessment of the preventive and therapeutic potential of spa treatment from the perspective of effective management of the prevention of these events. The application goal are general recommendations for alternative preventive and therapeutic programs that can be implemented during spa treatment.

Material and Methods: The publication, edited according to the standards of original work, belongs to the category of theoretical research with a dominant layer of narrative reviews, which include a synthesis of key issues: epidemiology of the effects of falls, elimination of falls, reduction of the risk of falls, safe falling, tools for diagnosing these phenomena, etc. Furthermore, the research includes systemic analyses in the context of: a) spa treatment as part of the health system reform; b) the use of the ICF and developed procedures in spas promising more effective use of staff and infrastructure.

Results: Based on data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, only in Japan, years lived with disability (YLDs) caused by the fall decreased in the period 1990-2010 among people up to 54 years old. This is the result of the implementation of the budo curriculum (judo, kendo, sumo) in the Japanese physical education system in 1989. The 'teacher ball ukemi' program, recommended by Rafał Kubacki (three-time world judo champion in the open category), is an attractive form of fall injury prevention, but safe primarily for children's education and the individual activity of young people, and therefore requires adapxation to the needs of seniors. The most important result of the analysis of the specific nature of spa treatment indicates that implementing appropriate preventive programs as part of the health reform allows for significant opximization of resources by reducing adverse events. It has been demonstrated that a systematic approach to seniors' safety in spas, monitored by ICF indicators, not only improves their physical and mental well-being but also creates a path to drastically reducing the costs of treating complications, which constitute a burden on the state budget and families.

Conclusion: Empirically verified programs developed by experts associated with the ‘Polish School of Safe Fall’ address the risk of falls and bodily injury resulting from collisions with the ground, vertical obstacles, and moving objects. These programs, organized into universal complexes of engaging psychophysical activity sessions, can be used as a complementary (preventive and therapeutic) element of almost any type of spa treatment. For older adults, patients with multiple organ injuries regardless of age, especially those with severe post-traumatic stress disorder due to any other cause, etc., they can be a significant factor in reducing stress before engaging in daily physical activity—including that related to self-care motor skills. The results of the necessary pilot studies of modern safety management for seniors, based on fall prevention, should provide preliminary estimates of the impact on the quality of life, mental well-being, as well as on the opximization of health care resources, minimizing social and medical costs resulting from injuries among older people.

Keywords: healthcare reform, mental well-being, ‘Polish School of Safe Fall’, senior safety management, ‘teacher ball ukemi’.

AMA
Wicher P, Sulimski A, Wicher A, Witkowski K, Gąsienica-Walczak B, Kruszewski M. Fall prevention and ICF classification as a permanent element of modern spa treatment – recommendations for pilot implementations in Poland. Arch Budo J Innov Agon. 2026;22.
APA
Wicher, P., Sulimski, A., Wicher, A., Witkowski, K., Gąsienica-Walczak, B., & Kruszewski M. (2026). Fall prevention and ICF classification as a permanent element of modern spa treatment – recommendations for pilot implementations in Poland. Arch Budo Journal of Innovation Agonology, 22.
Chicago
Wicher, Patryk, Adam Sulimski, Anna Wicher, Kazimierz Witkowski, Bartłomiej Gąsienica-Walczak and Kruszewski M. 2026. “Fall Prevention and ICF Classification as a Permanent Element of Modern Spa Treatment – Recommendations for Pilot Implementations in Poland.” Arch Budo Journal of Innovation Agonology 22.
Harvard
Wicher, P., Sulimski, A., Wicher, A., Witkowski, K., Gąsienica-Walczak, B., & Kruszewski M. (2026). Fall prevention and ICF classification as a permanent element of modern spa treatment – recommendations for pilot implementations in Poland. Arch Budo Journal of Innovation Agonology, 22.
MLA
Wicher, Patryk, et al. “Fall Prevention and ICF Classification as a Permanent Element of Modern Spa Treatment – Recommendations for Pilot Implementations in Poland.” Arch Budo Journal of Innovation Agonology, vol. 22, 2026.
Vancouver
Wicher P, Sulimski A, Wicher A, Witkowski K, Gąsienica-Walczak B, Kruszewski M. Fall prevention and ICF classification as a permanent element of modern spa treatment – recommendations for pilot implementations in Poland. Arch Budo J Innov Agon. 2026;22.

OUR POLICY

Mission of ARCHBUDO

The specific mission of the Archives of Budo 2023 is to strive for a breakthrough in public perception of a broad class of combat sports and martial arts as specific means of innovative agonology.