The Facts About Falling

None of us wants to experience a fall – it hurts, it’s embarrassing and it can cause real damage to your body, especially as we age. Approximately 33% of people who are 65 and older will have a serious fall at some point, and 5-10% of these falls will lead to a harmful injury. If falling is so common as we age, is it something we should just accept and not worry about? NO!

There are steps that can be taken to avoid falling.

1. Work to improve your balance.

Balance starts to decline a lot sooner than you probably think – as early 40 if your a female! Balance is a combination of three of our senses coming together: 1. Somato (joints and muscles) 2. Visual (eyes) 3. Vestibular (inner ear). With my clients, I train balance through varying the base of support by either getting the person to place their feet heel-to-toe to one another, or by having him/her stand on one leg. I also get my clients to try balance work with their eyes closed (always near a wall or strong base of support) or by having them turn their head from side-to-side. Passing an object back-and-forth from one hand to the other is a great way to throw off the center of gravity and get your other balancing systems to kick in.

2. Get rid of household hazards.

Things both inside and outside the home including bad lighting, clutter, throw rugs, ice, wet surfaces or bad footwear (especially high heels!) can increase the risk of falling. Make sure to minimize all of these hazards year round.

3. Stay strong, keep moving.

Resistance training is important to maintain muscle and keep your bones healthy and strong. Strengthen your legs, core and arms with weights, bands and your body weight. Yoga and Tai chi are other good low impact activities that help strengthen and lengthen your muscles.

4. Learn how to fall gracefully.

If you’re scared of falling you’ll probably be more scared to try new activities which may be beneficial to your health. You may also tense your body more, meaning that when you do fall, you injure yourself more. Learning how to fall builds up your confidence while you’re active, and can help prevent serious injuries that result from a fall.

In summary, get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Through balance and strength training, minimizing household hazards and by practicing to fall properly, you’ll lessen the likelihood of falling. If you’d like to learn more about the techniques I use to help with fall prevention, please click here .

Sources:
Good Times, May 2016 Edition, Before a Fall, Wendy Haaf