In the US, the CDC reports that one in four people over the age of 65 has an accidental fall every year and are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries. There are several risk factors that increase chances of falling: environmental factors (uneven surfaces, lighting, obstacles, etc.), medication, and physical fitness.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/index.html
Maintaining or building strength is key to mitigating the risk of falling as we all get older. One of the reasons that people fall is that that we all have asymmetric bodies — we have a dominant side and a weaker side. For example, we tend to favor bearing our weight on one leg when we stand, we lift heavy gallon jars of milk with the same hand, we climb stairs putting the same leg forward more than the other. All these small modifications over years of repetition results in an imbalance of strength. The weaker side becomes our proverbial Achilles Heel making us vulnerable to injury. And this imbalance in our legs and hips predisposes us to falling.
How can we help counteract the imbalances? Incorporate the following exercises into your day. Make sure you always have a sturdy support close by before you start.
ONE:
Stand sideways on the bottom step of the stairway, holding the railing firmly. With your outer leg do the following 3 movements.
- Raise and lower the outer leg slowly bending at the knee each time; 5-10 times
- Swing the leg at the hip back and forth slowly keeping your core tight; 5-10 times
- Swing the leg side to side; 5-10 times
Take a break and repeat on the other side.
TWO:
Sit on a chair with feet firmly on the ground and with a tennis ball under one foot, press down on that foot and massage the entire sole of the foot.
- Roll the ball from the bottom of each toe towards the middle of the foot back and forth
- Roll the ball crosswise back and forth across the middle of your arch, pressing firmly on any spots that are sore
- Repeat on both feet. You can do this exercise standing as well to increase the level of challenge
THREE:
Stand close to a sturdy support. Balance on your dominant foot and start counting. Note how far you count. Try to match that count on the other foot. Try to increase the count as you get stronger. Make sure you don’t hold your breath as you balance. Fix your gaze on a spot that doesn’t move.