WE'RE STILL FALLING

And unfortunately I don't mean that we all have a thing for Brad Pitt. Everywhere I go I hear about someone else falling. Each class I teach (which isn't often) I will hear yet another story about someone's fall. Much attention in the industry has been placed on fall prevention ... But we still fall.
My husband and I just got back from a month long trip to the UK. During the course of the trip I came across 2 people who had suffered falls. One, my best friend back in the States, fell when he tripped over his feet, turning. The other, a woman I met at the airport, had a lousy fall because she didn't see the last step in a staircase. Falls seem to be in the works for many.
Much is known and taught about how to prevent falls. Exercise classes for those older are available everywhere, often for free. You can even find DVDs that help you improve your balance so you can exercise while at home. But all this knowledge and availability doesn't necessarily stop the falls from happening.

There is one factor that reduces fall risk dramatically across the board, no matter the cause. Consistent exercise of almost any kind reduces falls exponentially. There is nothing else that comes close. How active we remain predicts aging well. And avoiding falls is one excellent result from exercising on a regular basis.

Nonetheless, sometimes the best advice is hard to swallow. I've been talking for years with my best friend about the benefits of working out in a gym, especially for his problem knee. He's been told he needs surgery on the knee. There are several specific weight machine exercises he could do at a gym which might really help the knee and which would probably reduce the need for surgery. Even though surgery terrifies him, he still can't do the knee exercises. 
For some, resistance to exercise is a very strong instinct. 
How many people do you know who love to exercise? Even Brad Pitt doesn't. He finds working out boring. One fascinating person who disliked exercise is Jack LaLane. He hated it. To his credit, he still did it every day. But he worked out very early in the morning so he could get it over with fast! (That's a great hint: Exercise as early in the day and then you can enjoy the rest of your day.)

Unfortunately, the thing that helps us the most (by far) is also the thing many like to do the least. If you fall into that category and refuse to exercise as recommended there are still some great things you can do to avoid falls.

Here is the best practical advice for avoiding falls besides exercise:

  • Practice walking: We take walking for granted. It really helps reduce falls if you actually practice the best way to walk. 
  • Practice turning: Turning is very risky for 2 reasons. We get easily disoriented turning our head. It is very easy to trip over our feet as we turn. There is a proper way to turn. It really helps to practice it.
  • Move around for 5 minutes out of every hour that you sit. When the commercial comes on, get up and walk around. Get a glass of water. Visit the bathroom. Dust the cat.
  • Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is a common factor that exacerbates many problems.
  • Concentrate on your core. Actively pull your belly in whenever you feel stressed, scared, threatened or uncomfortable.
  • Figure out your vulnerability and do something, anything, about it. For instance, if you feel unsteady standing up, practice doing it in safe conditions using tricks to help you.
Published October 31, 2024.