Safety first
There are several factors that have emerged over the years regarding fall prevention programs that will be addressed in this post. First is to become more aware of our surroundings both inside the home and outside the home.
External factors refer to objects in our surroundings that may trip us up (pun intended), such as throw rugs, extension cords, clutter, low lighting in a room, lack of railings near steps and stairs, slippery surfaces, pets, and other items that can lead to falls.
Internal physical factors may include loss of vision, blurred vision, decreased peripheral vision, dizziness, syncope or fainting due to low blood pressure, muscle weakness, peripheral neuropathy, osteoarthritis of the knees and other joints, and postural changes. Each of these internal factors can also lead to falls.
Some of the external and internal factors can be corrected fairly easily while others may take more time, and include making appointments to visit your health care provider, and special testing procedures to identify the source of vision impairments, the extent of peripheral neuropathy, managing low blood pressure or, osteoarthritis, or installing railings and lighting near steps and stairs.
Over the years, I have developed and refined a proven system, the Regain Balance system, to do just that – help older adults regain their balance and prevent falls. While I go into the specific exercises in the program itself, below you will find some of the areas that it does address and some things that everyone can do right now, regardless of their participation in my program.
External Factors and How to Fix Them
Let’s address the external factors that we can change. Did you know that throw rugs are one of the most common causes of falls in the home for the older adult? It would be wise to throw them away or add non-skid backing to them. Adding night lights is a simple solution to low lighting throughout the house. If night lights are not possible, carry a small flashlight. Clutter on the floor, including clothing, old magazines, pillows, and toys for grandchildren and pets, for example, need to be removed.
As some of us develop unhealthy emotional attachments to objects that can become fall instigators. One solution might be to an individual or agency to come clean your home with the goal to remove all objects that may cause you to fall.
Practice, practice, practice
Studies show that those who participate in activities at a higher level on a regular basis tend to fall less frequently or not at all. As this website is designed to assist those who are sedentary or slightly active to become more active, and thus decrease the risk for falls, we will only discuss the foundational concepts to achieve this goal.
What we do know from the research is that those who practice balance tasks on a daily basis are able to develop and maintain a heightened cohesiveness between the brain, spinal cord, and musculoskeletal system that will fortify their ability to adjust to unforeseen events that normally would lead to a fall.
Cognitive training
Behavioral scientists now theorize that older adults with an increased risk for falls also have a diminished capacity for attention to task. They have found that challenging the memory and focus of the brain to do more than one thing at a time decreases the risk for falls. This is referred to as dual-task training. One example of this might be to have a person walk a certain distance and count backwards by three starting at 100. Therefore, the person would count out loud 100, 97, 94, 91, 88…. until they reach zero while walking.
Fun apps have been developed by scientists to help people improve their memory, strategic planning, focus on tasks, and relaxation. If you type into your app store “brain games,” “brain training,” or just “brain,” it should bring up several apps on your phone or tablet from which to choose. The same may be true for your home computer.
Oculomotor Exercises
Eye exercises have been shown to be helpful in decreasing the risk for falls. In another post, I will discuss the interaction between the vestibular system of the inner ear and the visual system when both are stimulated, known as the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex. For right now, know that these two systems share synaptic connections in the midbrain and operate in conjunction with the somatosensory system, which provides input regarding proprioception (awareness of the position and movement of the body) and posture.
Researchers have been able to show improved balance and posture ability as a result of performing oculomotor (eye) exercises in conjunction with strength and balance training to enhance the vestibular system. The results show an improvement in a person’s sway range and how quickly they were able to correct to center as well as their dynamic balance ability. Eyeball exercises increase balance stability by making sure that the image of an object can be projected onto the best portion of the retina through visual control.
When you join the Regain Balance system, you will have access to the specific oculomotor exercises that are most beneficial for helping you improve your balance and prevent falls.
Static and Dynamic Balance Exercises
Static balance refers to the ability to balance while remaining stationary while dynamic balance refers to the ability to balance while in motion.
There are a number of exercises that you will perform as part of the proven Regain Balance system in both the static and the dynamic balance categories. In my system, we start with static exercises and then, as you progress and the exercises become easier to complete, we add dynamic elements that challenge your ability to complete the exercise but which methodically help you to improve your balance.
For safety, these exercises should be done while standing in a doorway or narrow hallway, or near a countertop, corner, or other safe location, which will allow a person to use their hands and body to keep from falling should they lose their balance.
Dynamic balance training involves using the head, other body parts, and unstable surfaces to challenge standing balance. For example, the faster the head is rotated left to right or moved up and down, the greater the challenge to your balance. Adding arm movements or standing on an unstable surface such as a pillow or couch cushion can further test one’s balance and is considered advanced. These advanced tasks should be done with extra caution. For safety reasons, I recommend that these advanced dynamic balance exercises should be done with another person present and able to assist if necessary.
When you join the Regain Balance system, you will have full access to the static and dynamic balance exercises that are proven to provide gains in balance and fall prevention.
Regain Your Balance
The next step to regaining your balance is to get started. Get started today with a proven routine that will improve your strength, power, flexibility, and balance – leading you to an improved quality of life and prevent falls.
Let me show you how. Click on the button below to gain your access to my proven method for Regaining your Balance.
