As we age, one of the things we worry about is being steady on our feet, feeling secure enough to take those outside walks with friends, do the things we used to without the fear of falling, having the balance needed to perform the day to day tasks. Falling and breaking an arm, ankle, leg or even worse a hip can become detrimental to our health.
Falling is one of the 10 top concerns for seniors. I get calls all the time: I’ve fallen and need help with balance. I’m afraid the next time I fall it could become a very serious situation and I don’t want to become a burden to my family. Someone called me and said that they were feeling unsteady on their feet and need to work on balance because they are fearful of falling.
The risk for falls increase with age and trips to the emergency room increase as well. According to the CDC 2.5 million people 65 and older require treatment in emergency facilities annually. According to a study published in an August 2015 American Journal of Emergency Medicine, one-third of the people treated in an emergency room find themselves there again within a year. Most falls occur within the home, where there are obstacles prime for tripping. Slippery bathroom floors, area rugs and doorway strips are just a few according to a January 2013 study published in the Journal of Injury and Violence Research.
How do we keep ourselves from the “free fall” and become “fall” free?
I tell all my clients that balance is essential to performing the daily activities of living or ADL’s. We all are going to trip on or over something at some point in our lives but the key is…do we have the tools needed to keep ourselves from falling? At DMK Fitness we know that not only is strength and flexibility part the program design but balance is a necessary key focal point.
Your trainer should be implementing balance into your routines but if not, I’m not sure that he or she fully understands the functional importance and how it affects one’s life.
If you live in the greater Los Angeles, CA or St. Louis, MO areas and would like more information on balance exercises go to dmkfit.com or contact us directly here. You may also call us at (314) 705-0114.