Wednesday, March 18, 2015

STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING FALLS


Each year, about half the seniors who are in their 80's and 90's suffer a fall, according to Marvin M. Lipman, M.D. Ten percent of these are seriously injured and even though they have weathered cancer or a heart attack or are seriously injured in other ways, they do not survive. Sometimes death may occur immediately but a fall may cause a broken neck or a brain bleeding as a result of complication from the initial injury.
Aside from the proverbial slip on a banana peel, the causes of most falls are age related. They include painful arthritis, strokes, and nutritional deficiencies that can lead to nerve damage in the feet or other other areas of weakness. If medications have caused dizziness and decreased alertness make you suspect, you're at risk of falling during daily activities,so discuss your concerns with your doctor.


Of all the various causes of major falls, impaired gait and balance account for most. So test yourself. Are you limping or shuffling? Can you do heel-to-toe walking (taking steps with one foot directly in front of the other) without lurching off-balance. Can you stand on one leg for at least 30 seconds. Less than that suggests a balance problem. You can also do two other tests - both have a high predictive value for future falls you flunk. For the get Up and Go Test, sit in a chair without arms, rise, walk 10 feet forward, quickly turn, walk back to the chair, and sit. Have an observer time you. If it takes more than 14 seconds, you are at risk for falls.  

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