## 4 Discussion
While physical activity is generally protective, it does not fully eliminate fall risk. Active individuals may be more exposed to challenging environments or engage in higher-risk activities, despite preserved physical function. This highlights the importance of assessing psychological factors even in active older populations, as they may influence behaviour and decision-making during movement. It is also important to remember that fall risk is multifactorial. From other classical work [30] to more recent systematic reviews [31], it has been established that falls result from a combination of physical, environmental, sensory, and psychological factors [28; 30]. Our findings support this notion, showing that even among active individuals, psychological variables are crucial to understanding fall risk. In this sense, the use of simple tools like the FES-I and ABC Scale proves extremely useful. These are easy-to-administer, low-cost instruments that are sensitive to changes in psychological status. This is particularly relevant in community settings, where quick and effective assessments are essential to identify vulnerable individuals and direct them to appropriate interventions. It is also worth emphasizing that the multidimensional approach suggested in this study aligns with international recommendations, such as those from the Cochrane Review [32], which emphasizes the effectiveness of multifactorial fall prevention strategies. The integration of physical strategies with psychological components, such as enhancing confidence, reducing fear, and promoting self-efficacy, may be the key to more effective and sustainable interventions [7]. Additionally, although descriptive analysis revealed a higher prevalence of falls among women (28.9%) compared to men (18.8%), sex did not emerge as a significant independent factor in the multivariable logistic regression model when psychological variables such as fall efficacy and balance confidence were included. This suggests that perceived confidence and concern about falling may mediate fall risk regardless of sex in physically active older adults. Nevertheless, future studies employing stratified analyses by sex could help clarify whether specific patterns or interactions exist between sex and fall-related psychological factors. From a practical perspective, our findings suggest that both healthcare and exercise professionals should incorporate psychological assessments in fall risk screening protocols, even for older adults who appear robust. Strategies such as dual-task training, balance-challenging exercises in safe environments, and psychological techniques like cognitive restructuring or confidence-building workshops may help boost confidence and reduce fall-related anxiety. These approaches align with a growing emphasis on multidimensional fall prevention and may help translate research findings into actionable strategies for clinical and community health professionals. An interesting contribution of this study is its focus on a population that is often underrepresented in fall risk research, active older adults. Most research focuses on frail or institutionalized populations, but it is increasingly clear that even the most active are not immune to falls. Functional independence may mask latent vulnerabilities that only become apparent under more challenging circumstances [7]. Naturally, this study has limitations. Its cross-sectional design prevents us from establishing causal relationships, only associations can be inferred. It is also important to note that the fall outcome was assessed retrospectively, based on the participants' report of past events, while the psychological variables were measured at the time of the study. This introduces the possibility of reverse causality--individuals who had recently experienced a fall may have developed increased concern or reduced confidence as a result, rather than these psychological factors being antecedents of the fall.