Try an exercise ball These giant balls are ideal for strengthening parts of your body to prevent falls, and they improve your overall balance. sit on the ball with your feet about hip-width apart on the floor, then do the following exercises.
Hula Pretend you're balancing a glass of champagne on your head as you shift your hips in a circular motion from right to front and left to back, as if doing the hula. Try not to move your upper body at all. Repeat five times each way.
Foot lifts Slowly raise one foot, keeping the other on the floor. Try to maintain your balance and stability by tightening your core (abdomen, chest and back). Count to three, then gently return turn foot to the floor and raise the other. Repeat ten times on each side. As you get better at balancing, increase the amount of time each food is raised.
Knee fits Tighten your core, then try raising your knees together without falling backwards. Initially, you might try lifting one knee at a time until your balance improves. Repeat five times with each knee, ten times if you're lifting both.
Get off the beaten path Take walks frequently on natural surfaces rather than paved walkways. A nature path, with its tree roots and rocks, presents a great challenge to your sense of balance. The same is true of a sandy beach.
Wear shoes that grip the ground Yes, life sometimes calls for high heels, dress shoes or, best of all, dance shoes. But for everyday life, wear shoes that have the best possible traction. Today, every style of shoe - from sleek work shoes to sandals - is available with rubber soles that are as ground-grabbing as hiking shoes.
Vibrating shoes?
In the not-too-distant future, you may put on a pair of vibrating shows to prevent falls. A study published in the medical journal the Lancet found that these shoes, which include a pair of battery that these shoes, which include a pair of battery operated insoles that randomly vibrate so slightly
you can't even feel it, improved balance in older people. They help to boost the messages your nervous system sends to your brain when you walk and turn, enabling you to adjust your posture. The shoes aren't available yet, but their success in studies means you could see them soon.
Take a calcium/magnesium/vitamin D supplement daily while it won't build bone you've already lost, this mineral/vitamin combination can help to slow any future loss. The stronger your bones, the less likely you are to fall and, if you do fall, to seriously injure yourself. Vitamin D also contributes to neuromuscular strength. One analysis of five studies found that taking this vitamin reduced the risk of falls by more than 20 percent.
Review your medication Get out all of the medication and vitamin, mineral, herb and other nutritional supplements you're taking - even if you take them only once a week or once a month - and list the names, dosages and when and how you take them. Then ask your GP if any individual medication or supplements (or combinations of them) could contribute to dizziness or balance problems.
Drink up If you spend most of your time at home, keep a large jug filled with iced water or dilute juice in your fridge and be sure to drink all of it - or more - every day. If you're on the road, carry a large refillable water bottle with you. Dehydration, which becomes more common as we age, can contribute to low blood pressure, dizziness and falls.
Consider hip protectors If your risk of falling is particularly high due to age or infirmity, wear padded cloths that either sit on the hip joint or are built into special underwear. If you do fall, these pads, available at many health supply shops or online, reduce the risk of hip fracture by shunting the energy away from the point of impact. In one study, frail women living in their
homes who wore hip pads reduced their risk of hip fracture by nearly 80 percent.
Reduce fall risk at homeAlarm your pets A cat weaving in and out of your legs or a dog sneaking up behind you is a fall waiting to happen. Add a bell or jangling tag to your pet's collar to avoid surprises.
Buy lots of double-sided carpet tape Use it to prevent rugs from slipping and sliding. Also put non-slip mats by the side of the bath and in front of the shower, and at bathroom and kitchen sinks.
Call an electrician Have sockets added in rooms where you have electrical cords attached to extension cords. The fewer cords, the less likely you are to trip over one. Also ask the electrician to install extra light fixtures in dark areas of your home, such as hallways, and make sure you have switches at the top and bottom of your stairs, and at both ends of corridors.
Measure your thresholds Doorway thresholds should be no more than 1.3cm (1/2in) high; otherwise, they're tripping hazards. Replace high thresholds with lower ones.
Evaluate your stairways Are the backs of your steps closed in? Are there handrails about waist height on both sides? Do the steps have non-slip surfaces? In addition to good lighting, these will reduce your risk of falling.
Visit the flooring shop If it's time to replace that carpet anyway, consider hard-surface flooring or Berber-style carpeting. Both are less likely to trip you up than most popular deep-pile carpets. Just make sure the flooring isn't slippery. There's even a special kind of hard-surface flooring that's been developed for nursing homes that you might consider for your kitchen or bathroom. It's designed to provide a firm walking surface, but if you do all, it reduces the force of impact. It's similar to the type of flooring you might see in a dance or Pilates stuido and can be ordered through commercial flooring distributors.
Add extra phones The closer the phone is, the less likely you are to run to answer it, reducing your risk of tripping and falling. Also make sure you have a phone extension by your bed.
Check outside lighting Make sure you have outside lights with high-wattage bulbs (75 watts or more) near all entrances and the garage. If you are likely to be out and about after dark, install lights with motion sensors that come on automatically as you approach. Put high-wattage bulbs (if appropriate for the fitting) in all the lamps and overhead lights indoors as well.
Forget about floor wax If you must use it, make sure it's the non-slip type.
Attach your reading glasses or bifocals to a cord or chain around your neck That way, when you walk upstairs - or anywhere else - you can take them off and let them hang. If you keep them on, they affect your distance vision, so you may misjudge a step; if you take them off and hold them in one hand, you're more likely to lose your balance and fall.
Why we fall
No one forgets how to walk. But starting as early as our 40s, any number of physical factors make us more phone to fails. With time, many of these risks grow considerably. Be most mindful of the following.
LACK OF EXERCISE Leg weakness is the greatest cause of falls, increasing you fall risk more than fourfold. weak muscles not only make you prone to falling but also make it less likely that you'll break your fall or regain your balance if you start to slip. If you have time for only one activity, make it walking or leg strength-training.
VISION PROBLEMS Eye conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts often deteriorates gradually, you may not notice at first. It's important to detect such conditions early. Don't just usually effective treatements to preserve your sight from further damage. Have your eyes tested regularly by an optometrist (optician) - if you're over 60, you're entitled to free vision checks on the NHS.
Medication Certain types of medication, including antidepressants, anti-arrhythmia drugs, digoxin and diuretics, significantly increase your risk of a fall. Plus, if you're taking three or more types of medication, you're also more likely to fall.
ENVIROMENTAL HAZARDS Rugs, clutter and overcrowded rooms become minefields as you age. Even wall-to-wall carpeting can be a tripping risk if the sole of your shoe catches on it. Other potential problems in your home include low lighting, missing or loose handrails on stairs and lack of handrails in the shower/bath.
ARTHRITIS If you have arthritis, you're more than twice as likely to fall as someone without it. It's not the arthritis, itself that increases the risk but the fact that people with it often stop exercising, so their muscles become weak. This doesn't have to happen. See on next for ways to maintain your strength even if you have arthritis.
DEPRESSION Depression doubles your risk of falling. Possible reasons include not paying attention to your surroundings, drinking more alcohol and eating less, or the side effects of medication.
AGE if you're over 80, your risk of falling its double that of someone younger.
PREVIOUS FALLS If you've fallen before, you're three times more likely to fall again than someone who has never fallen.
Hula Pretend you're balancing a glass of champagne on your head as you shift your hips in a circular motion from right to front and left to back, as if doing the hula. Try not to move your upper body at all. Repeat five times each way.
Foot lifts Slowly raise one foot, keeping the other on the floor. Try to maintain your balance and stability by tightening your core (abdomen, chest and back). Count to three, then gently return turn foot to the floor and raise the other. Repeat ten times on each side. As you get better at balancing, increase the amount of time each food is raised.
Knee fits Tighten your core, then try raising your knees together without falling backwards. Initially, you might try lifting one knee at a time until your balance improves. Repeat five times with each knee, ten times if you're lifting both.
Get off the beaten path Take walks frequently on natural surfaces rather than paved walkways. A nature path, with its tree roots and rocks, presents a great challenge to your sense of balance. The same is true of a sandy beach.
Wear shoes that grip the ground Yes, life sometimes calls for high heels, dress shoes or, best of all, dance shoes. But for everyday life, wear shoes that have the best possible traction. Today, every style of shoe - from sleek work shoes to sandals - is available with rubber soles that are as ground-grabbing as hiking shoes.
Vibrating shoes?
In the not-too-distant future, you may put on a pair of vibrating shows to prevent falls. A study published in the medical journal the Lancet found that these shoes, which include a pair of battery that these shoes, which include a pair of battery operated insoles that randomly vibrate so slightly
you can't even feel it, improved balance in older people. They help to boost the messages your nervous system sends to your brain when you walk and turn, enabling you to adjust your posture. The shoes aren't available yet, but their success in studies means you could see them soon.
Take a calcium/magnesium/vitamin D supplement daily while it won't build bone you've already lost, this mineral/vitamin combination can help to slow any future loss. The stronger your bones, the less likely you are to fall and, if you do fall, to seriously injure yourself. Vitamin D also contributes to neuromuscular strength. One analysis of five studies found that taking this vitamin reduced the risk of falls by more than 20 percent.
Review your medication Get out all of the medication and vitamin, mineral, herb and other nutritional supplements you're taking - even if you take them only once a week or once a month - and list the names, dosages and when and how you take them. Then ask your GP if any individual medication or supplements (or combinations of them) could contribute to dizziness or balance problems.
Drink up If you spend most of your time at home, keep a large jug filled with iced water or dilute juice in your fridge and be sure to drink all of it - or more - every day. If you're on the road, carry a large refillable water bottle with you. Dehydration, which becomes more common as we age, can contribute to low blood pressure, dizziness and falls.
Consider hip protectors If your risk of falling is particularly high due to age or infirmity, wear padded cloths that either sit on the hip joint or are built into special underwear. If you do fall, these pads, available at many health supply shops or online, reduce the risk of hip fracture by shunting the energy away from the point of impact. In one study, frail women living in their
homes who wore hip pads reduced their risk of hip fracture by nearly 80 percent.
Reduce fall risk at homeAlarm your pets A cat weaving in and out of your legs or a dog sneaking up behind you is a fall waiting to happen. Add a bell or jangling tag to your pet's collar to avoid surprises.
Buy lots of double-sided carpet tape Use it to prevent rugs from slipping and sliding. Also put non-slip mats by the side of the bath and in front of the shower, and at bathroom and kitchen sinks.
Call an electrician Have sockets added in rooms where you have electrical cords attached to extension cords. The fewer cords, the less likely you are to trip over one. Also ask the electrician to install extra light fixtures in dark areas of your home, such as hallways, and make sure you have switches at the top and bottom of your stairs, and at both ends of corridors.
Measure your thresholds Doorway thresholds should be no more than 1.3cm (1/2in) high; otherwise, they're tripping hazards. Replace high thresholds with lower ones.
Evaluate your stairways Are the backs of your steps closed in? Are there handrails about waist height on both sides? Do the steps have non-slip surfaces? In addition to good lighting, these will reduce your risk of falling.
Visit the flooring shop If it's time to replace that carpet anyway, consider hard-surface flooring or Berber-style carpeting. Both are less likely to trip you up than most popular deep-pile carpets. Just make sure the flooring isn't slippery. There's even a special kind of hard-surface flooring that's been developed for nursing homes that you might consider for your kitchen or bathroom. It's designed to provide a firm walking surface, but if you do all, it reduces the force of impact. It's similar to the type of flooring you might see in a dance or Pilates stuido and can be ordered through commercial flooring distributors.
Add extra phones The closer the phone is, the less likely you are to run to answer it, reducing your risk of tripping and falling. Also make sure you have a phone extension by your bed.
Check outside lighting Make sure you have outside lights with high-wattage bulbs (75 watts or more) near all entrances and the garage. If you are likely to be out and about after dark, install lights with motion sensors that come on automatically as you approach. Put high-wattage bulbs (if appropriate for the fitting) in all the lamps and overhead lights indoors as well.
Forget about floor wax If you must use it, make sure it's the non-slip type.
Attach your reading glasses or bifocals to a cord or chain around your neck That way, when you walk upstairs - or anywhere else - you can take them off and let them hang. If you keep them on, they affect your distance vision, so you may misjudge a step; if you take them off and hold them in one hand, you're more likely to lose your balance and fall.
Why we fall
No one forgets how to walk. But starting as early as our 40s, any number of physical factors make us more phone to fails. With time, many of these risks grow considerably. Be most mindful of the following.
LACK OF EXERCISE Leg weakness is the greatest cause of falls, increasing you fall risk more than fourfold. weak muscles not only make you prone to falling but also make it less likely that you'll break your fall or regain your balance if you start to slip. If you have time for only one activity, make it walking or leg strength-training.
VISION PROBLEMS Eye conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts often deteriorates gradually, you may not notice at first. It's important to detect such conditions early. Don't just usually effective treatements to preserve your sight from further damage. Have your eyes tested regularly by an optometrist (optician) - if you're over 60, you're entitled to free vision checks on the NHS.
Medication Certain types of medication, including antidepressants, anti-arrhythmia drugs, digoxin and diuretics, significantly increase your risk of a fall. Plus, if you're taking three or more types of medication, you're also more likely to fall.
ENVIROMENTAL HAZARDS Rugs, clutter and overcrowded rooms become minefields as you age. Even wall-to-wall carpeting can be a tripping risk if the sole of your shoe catches on it. Other potential problems in your home include low lighting, missing or loose handrails on stairs and lack of handrails in the shower/bath.
ARTHRITIS If you have arthritis, you're more than twice as likely to fall as someone without it. It's not the arthritis, itself that increases the risk but the fact that people with it often stop exercising, so their muscles become weak. This doesn't have to happen. See on next for ways to maintain your strength even if you have arthritis.
DEPRESSION Depression doubles your risk of falling. Possible reasons include not paying attention to your surroundings, drinking more alcohol and eating less, or the side effects of medication.
AGE if you're over 80, your risk of falling its double that of someone younger.
PREVIOUS FALLS If you've fallen before, you're three times more likely to fall again than someone who has never fallen.
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