If you have ever viewed children on a playground or visited an ice rink, you will undoubtedly have seen people of all ages who take tumbling. Falling is never fun, but the consequences become more serious as we get older.
More than 14 million adults aged 65 and older fall every year In the United States, and the risk increases with age. Falls are in fact the primary cause of injury -related death in older adults in the United States, and they can lead to broken hips, spinal fractures and traumatic brain injury.
But many waterfalls can be prevented, Dr. Gerald Pankratz, a geriatician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. That makes him “optimistic about this issue,” he said.
According to a recent policy statement From the American Public Health Association, evidence-based fall prevention can reduce falls by 6 to 36 percent, depending on the intervention.
In his practice, Dr. said Pankratz, it is not unusual for people to judge as a 50 percent chance of falling the following year to reduce their risk in two by taking action to avoid briefs and journeys.
Why falls with age increases
Normal changes in our body as we get older, make us more susceptible to falling and more likely to experience injuries from those waterfalls, Dr. David Reuben, a geriatician at the University of California, Los Angeles.
We gradually start losing the power in our 30s and 40s, and our balance starts Decrease of approximately 50. But there is “a sort of bending” point around the age of 75, Dr. Reuben, when people start to experience more injuries when they fall.
As we get older, peripheral nerves, who send messages from muscles to the brain, become less effective. This can be our Body consciousnessMaking it more difficult to recover quickly when we start wiggling.
Other health problems can also increase the fall risk of older adults. Poor visibility, hearing loss, walking problems and chronic diseases such as dementia and depression can make it more difficult to navigate daily activities safely. And orthostaticA sudden fall in blood pressure when dizziness causes dizziness can increase the risk of falling, Dr. Pankratz.
Alcohol and many often prescribed medicinesIncluding benzodiazepines and certain antidepressants can also increase the risk. But more than one factor often increases the chance of falling, Dr. Reuben out.
How to prevent it from falling
For older adults, there is once the chance to fall again. Dr. Reuben recommends that you see your doctor if you have recently fallen, especially if you are 75 or older. And regardless of your age, he advises to visit your doctor if you are dizziness and unstable, which are not normal symptoms, but often have treatable causes.
After assessing your autumn risk, your doctor can order vision and hearing tests, refer you to a physiotherapist who can help correct orthopedic problems, suggest strategies to reduce dizziness when you can send a pharmacist who can assess your medicines. But there are other promotions that can help you keep an even keel.
Wear the right shoes.
When Dr. Pankratz sees patients in his autumn clinics, he assesses their shoes. For example, if they have problems erasing sidewalk edges, he can represent shoes with lower soles.
He also emphasizes the importance of shoes with sufficient tread in the winter to reduce the chance of slipping on snow or ice. And he advises against loose sandals and slippers, which can “be very bad because their whole sole whistles down and drags on the floor.”
Autumn -resistant your house.
In 2023, Cochrane, a research organization, assessed 22 Studies that investigated strategies for autumn prevention among older adults. It discovered that identifying and eliminating autumn dangers at home – poorly lit corridors, stairs without handrails and slippery paths – would probably reduce the total number of falls by 26 percent. The same interventions were even more effective in people who had a high risk of falling, which reduced their total rate by 38 percent.
Dr. Reuben often advises patients to add grabstas in the shower and to reduce junk and Other stumbling dangers Such as thrown carpets and power cords.
Build up strength and balance.
Exercises build up that power And balance According to the autumn risk of older adults, it turned out to be about a quarter, according to An assessment of several clinical investigations from 2019. Fall prevention exercise programs designed for older adults, including Sail And Step onusually include both.
Since weak quadriceps often contribute to traps and possible hip fractures, according to Dr. Reuben, Sit-to-stand exercises That focus on these muscles are an important part of effective training programs. They also help to maintain the full motion range in hip and knee joints, which can reduce the falls by keeping the course of a person smooth and stable, said Julie Jones, a physiotherapist and associated dean at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland, who advised to check with a doctor.
Siobhan McMahon, director of the Center for Aging Science and Care Innovation at the University of Minnesota, recommends doing forces at least twice a week and a balance exercises at least three times a week.
Contact your to find a local Fall Prevention Program, Dr. ir. McMahon for Area office on agingA senior center or a recreation center. She also recommended free Live virtual training classes from Aarpas well as exercise videos And tutorials from the National Institute of Aging.
Physiotherapists can also develop fall prevention regimes that are suitable for older adults, Dr. Reuben.
Address underlying fears.
After people have fallen once, it is understandable that they can worry about falling again. But excessive fear of falling can be a risk factor in itself. A Study from 2010 Found, for example, that older adults who were afraid to fall than their health, were justified, experienced more falls or more harmful traps than those who had the same relatively low risk, but a more accurate look.
Will Young, a psychologist and associate professor at the Department of Public Health and Sports Sciences at the University of Exeter, showed in his research that people who are afraid of falling often walk slowly and stiff. But accepting this “general reinforcement strategy” can be counterproductive, he said. “If you start losing your balance or if you are bumped,” the stiffness can “make it more difficult to do that quick recovery step” to prevent them from falling, he said.
Cognitive behavioral therapy It has been shown that it reduces the fear of falling in older adults and improving their balance. Yoga and Tai Chi can also reduce unnecessary anxiety and stiffness, Dr. Young.
Practicing Tai Chi, filled with ‘running moments’, is also a great way to practice safely, said Sarah Lamb, a physiotherapist at the University of Exeter who has discovered in some of her research that people often get up and turn shortly before a fall.
Buy a few walking poles.
Dr. Jones often sees adults in the 60s and 70s who walk forward with shuffling feet, falter while they go, she said. But Nordic hiking sticks Courage a slight rotation of the arms with every pool plant that improves the running stability, Dr. Jones.
It is especially important to continue practicing – for the rest of your life – to maintain your strength and balance. Traveling, injury and illness can disrupt the effort. “But if you experience a setback, it is essential to start over,” said Dr. Lamb. “It’s fine to drop the level and rebuild yourself. But don’t let setbacks stop.”
- Advertisement -
