By Becky Carney
Question: What is the leading cause of injury for adults aged 65 and older?
A. Car accidents
B. Risky dance moves
C. Falls
The answer, according to the Centers for Disease Control, is falls.
CDC data shows that 1 in 4 older adults report falling each year. Of those, 37% had an injury that required medical treatment or restricted their activity.
If you’re like most people, medical treatment and restricted activity are two things you try to avoid. That means taking precautions to prevent falls and, if you do fall, taking the right steps so you can resume your daily activities.
That’s where physical therapists come in.
Physical therapists are health-care professionals specially trained in treating injuries to the body that limit a person’s ability to move or function in daily life. If you fracture your hip in a fall, for example, the physical therapist can provide treatment to help you heal and get the hip working properly again. We work to restore movement by reducing pain, building strength, increasing range of motion and improving balance, gait and mobility.
Why does our risk of falling increase as we get older?
First, physical changes as we age mean our muscles become weaker, our balance declines and our reaction speed decreases.
In addition, environmental factors play a greater role: slippery floor surfaces, poor lighting, tripping hazards (like shoes or throw rugs), and improper footwear can all contribute to the risk of falling.
The physical therapist provides a treatment plan to counter all of those issues, both the physical and the environmental. This can include targeted exercises to build strength and endurance, improve balance and coordination, and return you to the level of activity you’re used to. It can also include the prescription of assistive devices such as grab bars, walkers, canes and reaching devices to assist with everyday life. While these may at first seem inconvenient, with proper training and continued use, they can be invaluable in maintaining your independence and quality of life, allowing you to remain in your own home longer.
Perhaps the most important factor in reducing the risk of falling is a simple one: keep moving!
People who are afraid of falling may choose to limit their activity. But a sedentary lifestyle causes your body to become weaker, which actually increases your risk of falling and suffering an injury.
Of course, this doesn’t mean trying to run a marathon. But staying active, even in small doses, will keep your body strong and working smoothly. Your physical therapist can help you set reasonable goals and find exercises that are right for you.
At St. Ann’s Community at Cherry Ridge, we recently opened a new outpatient therapy service that brings expert care right to our residents’ homes. I’m proud to be leading the team bringing this “concierge-style” service to our elders in independent and assisted living.
Whether or not such a service is available to you, be sure to talk to your primary medical provider if you’ve fallen or are experiencing symptoms that could lead to a fall.
Your provider can prescribe physical therapy and refer you to a skilled professional who can help you stay strong, safe, and independent.
Becky Carney is therapy manager at St. Ann’s Community at Cherry Ridge. She holds a doctorate degree in physical therapy. She can be reached at rcarney@mystanns.com.