Exercise can Help Older Adults Prevent Fall Injuries

Exercises that focus on strength and balance can help older adults reduce the risk of falling and getting hurt.

The risk of falling and getting injured, or even breaking a bone, increases as people age. Balance becomes more a challenge and bones and muscles become weaker. That's why exercise is so important for older adults' health and wellness. Not only does it strengthen muscles, but it can help improve balance to keep seniors more firmly upright. But if they do happen to fall, exercise can also lessen the chance they hurt themselves because of it.

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal even found that seniors who participated in fall prevention exercise programs were 37 percent less likely to get injured from taking a spill when compared to older adults who don't work out.

"Falls are recognized as a serious and common medical problem experienced by older adults, but it's also widely known that falls are preventable, and that exercise is an efficient way to prevent them," study lead author Fabienne El-Khoury told Reuters Health.

Because slips and falls can lead to serious health complications like broken bones, sprained joints, bruising and other issues, it's critical to take care of your body to ensure that you're more stable on your feet and less likely to have to deal with one of these problems if you do take a tumble.

The good news is that there are a variety of exercise options suitable for seniors that will focus on balance and strength.

Fall preventing exercises
Tai Chi: This ancient Chinese martial art involves people doing continuous movements that increase balance and strength. Many of the motions in Tai Chi force you to stay upright while transferring your weight from side to side. Learning to stand tall even in unbalanced situations can be applied in real life if you stumble and start to lose your balance. Tai Chi also helps people be mindful and in the moment. This can be beneficial because it helps teach people not to let their mind wander when it should be focused.

Yoga: There are a number of types of yoga, but all of them include a series of poses that assist with strengthening the muscles and improving balance. Yoga can make practitioners more stable on their feet, and it can reduce pain and inflammation to keep people more comfortable. Yoga, like Tai Chi, also teaches people to be mindful and focused on the present moment rather than daydreaming about the past or future. Not paying attention can cause someone to trip and fall on an uneven surface or over an obstacle in their way.

Water exercises: Working out in the water is great for people suffering from medical conditions, especially ones that affect joints, because it takes the pressure off and doesn't cause extra stress on the body. Water exercises allow you to become stronger without causing pain, which can help once you get back on dry land. There are a variety of exercises that can be performed in a pool that target all the major muscle groups, making you more stable overall.

Balance exercises: Good balance can reduce the likelihood of a fall because you'll have a better grasp on your center of gravity. Balance can also help you catch yourself if you do start to slip, helping you to right yourself and avoid a serious injury. Coordination and agility are also parts of balance that can help you deal with obstacles in your path and changing surface areas. Some balance exercises include:

• Marching in place: Stand in front of a chair with your hands on or hovering above the back of the chair. Pick up one foot and bend your knee, then replace it and repeat on the other side. You can march as quickly or as slowly as is comfortable, removing your hands to challenge your balance when you feel ready.
• Single leg stand: Again stand in front of the back of a chair. Lift one foot of the ground and balance on your other leg for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Once you feel comfortable and ready, try to balance without the aid of the chair for support.
• Foot circles: Begin holding onto the back of a chair. Lift one foot off of the ground and slowly start to circle your foot five times in one direction, then change directions. Repeat on the other side. When you're feeling ready to progress, practice this exercise without the assistance of the chair.
• Single kicks: As you hold onto the chair back, lift one foot up and slowly start to swing it back and forth, making a kicking motion. Kick five to 10 times on one side, then repeat on the other side. As you grow stronger and more stable, you can work on these kicks without holding onto the chair for support.

Source: medicare.com