“Avoid the Fall” This Year

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in every 3 adults over the age of 65 years will suffer a fall in their lifetime.  Falls can lead to a variety of injuries including broken bones, surgery, hospitalization, and an overall decline in health.  After a fall, even one that does not cause an injury, many people are fearful of falling again.  This can lead to becoming less active and foster a general decline in overall health, wellness, and independence.

Identifying your risk for a fall, your fear of falling, and possible vulnerable activities are your most important first steps in preventing a fall. Have you felt unsteady or unsure of your balance?  Do you fear walking across your yard because the grass is a bit uneven?  Do you pause at curbs before stepping up…or just avoid them altogether by walking to the nearest “kneeling curb?”

I recently treated a client after a fall. This individual, in her mid 70’s, had been suffering with feeling unsteady for some time. She was unsure what could be done to help her and had chalked it up to “getting older” (sound familiar?). She struggled with being dizzy and feeling off balance, causing her to have difficulty walking. Before the fall, she had been feeling embarrassed.  She told me that “[she] was walking like [she] was intoxicated”.  At the time, she did not know that there were any ways to improve her balance.