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INSIDE: • Relieve Your Neck Pain With Choice PT • #CHOOSETOGIVEBACK • Choice Physical Therapy News • Patient Success Story HOW TO AVOID FALLING INTO SPRING
(continued from outside) Among older Americans car accidents are the #1 cause of: death from injury and injuries in general. That’s a startling statistic when you think about it. Makes me think twice about going out joy riding on a fall weekend to check out the changing leaves. If car accidents are the #1 cause, can you guess what the second leading cause is? It’s a loaded question. Among older Americans falls are the #1 cause of: death from injury and injury in general. Falls are a serious problem. Every second an older American falls. One in three older adults reported a fall and that number increases with age. In 2014, falls impacted 46 million people. In 2030, that number is expected to increase 61% to impact 74 million people. Understanding what factors tend to contribute to falls as well as how to be proactive in screening for falls can help turn those statistics around. Here are the five most common reasons people fall: 1. Our vision can decrease as we age which can lead to falls due to not seeing clearly.
Having good balance is a team effort made up of three essential elements. First, your vision. If you can’t see obstacles coming at you it is much harder to maneuver around them. Balance is much harder in a dark environment or with our eyes closed for this reason. Second, your inner ear (vestibular system). This is your body’s “righting mechanism” to offset tipping, tilting, and turning your head. The vestibular system is very complicated but suffice it to say, if you’ve ever experienced vertigo you understand the very important role your inner ear plays in balance. Lastly, your sensory system. Specifically, your proprioception. Proprioception is a fancy term for position sense. Tiny receptors in your joints and muscles constantly send feedback information to your brain communicating where your hands and legs are in space. Without this system working well you can be much more prone to tripping over your foot causing unsteadiness or worse a fall. Wondering if you or a loved one is at increased risk for falls? We’ve included a fall screening questionnaire in this month’s newsletter. If you score > 4 further fall risk assessments should be completed. The testing takes about 20 minutes and can be performed right in our clinic. Don’t let pride or a “busy schedule” jeopardize yours or a loved one’s safety. A fall can significantly impact confidence and independence. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Knowing whether you’re at risk and what to specifically do to minimize that risk can make a world of difference. All the best, Joe
2. Our hips and leg muscles become weaker making it harder to walk and lift our feet.
3. We can develop poor posture making it harder to stand upright.
4. It takes longer to react when something is in our way.
5. Medications can interact with one another which can contribute to dizziness or loss of balance.
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