Are you ready? Here it is: Exercise!
But what kind of exercise is best?
Great question! To get the answer I went straight to the experts – Celeste Carlucci and Julie Kardachi. These women have combined their considerable experience to create Fall Stop…MOVE STRONG, a unique fall prevention and strengthening program that’s available on DVD.
Below you’ll find excerpts from my interview with them. Here’s an overview of what we covered:
- Why a fall is so dangerous
- How exercise helps prevent falls
- Tips for reducing the risk of falling when getting out of bed
- The one exercise seniors should do everyday no matter what
- Where to find more information on fall prevention
Falls: A Hidden Public Health Crisis
So why is a fall so dangerous?
Celeste & Julie: Most people don’t know that a third of older adults over the age of 65 fall each year and many are injured. What’s more, a good number die within one year of their fall due to complications stemming from related injuries.
Maria: But what if a person doesn’t sustain injuries – are there other consequences to falling?
Celeste & Julie: Absolutely. People who have fallen (or know someone who has fallen) can develop a fear of falling, even if they are not injured. This fear causes people to reduce their activities; this leads to a loss of physical abilities, which actually increases the risk of falling.
Maria: Have you come across older adults who have experienced this?
Celeste & Julie: Lucy, one of our class members, lost her husband to a fall two years ago. He hit his head and had a brain injury, which lead to his needing 24 hour care for the last two years of his life. He fell again, fractured his hip and died within three months. Having experienced her husband’s fall, Lucy was concerned about falling herself.
Maria: So what’s your best advice for those who are afraid to fall like Lucy?
Celeste & Julie: To increase your confidence that you won’t fall you have to strengthen your body. A class or DVD like ours can help by teaching seniors ways to decrease their fall risk and feel more in control. Without this learning he or she may begin to stay home more and spend considerable time in bed or sitting in a chair. This deconditions the body further and increases the risk of falling.
How exercise helps prevent falls
Celeste & Julie: All exercise is beneficial, but to prevent falls, strengthening and balance exercises must be included.
The benefits of strengthening exercises:
Celeste & Julie: Strengthening exercises help make muscles strong enough to maintain good walking patterns, climb stairs, avoid obstacles, and keep a good posture.
The benefits of balancing exercises:
Celeste & Julie: Balance exercises teach the body how to cope with being off center, as when someone bumps us, or we’re walking on an uneven surface, or when we trip and need to catch ourselves.
Maria: I’m glad you mentioned tripping because I have to believe that a good portion of falls occur because people trip on a throw rug for example, or over a curb that isn’t well lit.
Celeste & Julie: We couldn’t agree more. We think specific exercises should be done to develop what we call “the STOP muscles” – the ones that catch you if you trip. Many of our clients have commented that they were able to catch themselves because of what we were able to teach them.
Maria: Do you think being physically fit helps you to avoid injuries if you do fall?
Celeste & Julie: Definitely. We suspect this is because their bones are stronger and the muscle bulk provides some good cushioning. Fitter people recover faster too.
Reducing the risk of falling when getting out of bed
Maria: Much of the advice about preventing falls in the home centers around making the physical environment safe, but people still fall despite their best efforts in these areas and often upon getting out of bed. Do you have any advice for how to prevent these kinds of falls?
Celeste & Julie: Yes! First, we advise people to have their doctor or pharmacist check ALL of their medications (including prescription and over the counter) for possible interactions and side effects that can lead to drowsiness, dizziness, and/or cognitive “slowing”. But one of our favorite tips is to “pump the gas” before getting out of bed.
Maria: Can you explain “pump the gas”?
Celeste & Julie Sure. For those who get up during the night to use the bathroom we advise sitting for a moment or two before standing to give your blood pressure a chance to adjust to your upright position. When sitting it helps to “pump the gas” – in other words, point and flex your feet a few times. And don’t just do it in the middle of the night! “Pump the gas” after sitting for extended periods at the movies or when watching television too.
The exercise that seniors should do everyday
Maria: For those older adults who can’t do several minutes of exercise is there one exercise that you can suggest as a “must do” – one that would still help to decrease their risk of falling?
Celeste & Julie: WOW! That’s a hard one! Can we have three?! If we had to choose one (and we don’t want to!), we think that high marches are probably the “must do” of the day. High marches with proper posture strengthen abs, hip flexors and thighs; they also challenge balance and improve coordination. This exercise develops and maintains the skills for safe walking, stair climbing, sitting and standing, stepping over environmental obstacles, and upright posture.
Maria: So how do you do a high march? Can you describe it?
Celeste & Julie: Sure! High marches can be done as a separate exercise, or they can be incorporated into a person’s daily activities. We tell people, why not do them in the kitchen while waiting for the coffee to brew or the bathroom while brushing teeth? In fact, we have one class participant who does 50 every morning and night while brushing his teeth. He uses the vanity or the wall to help with balance, and claims this is the secret for his flat, washboard abs!! He says, “Don’t forget to suck it in!!”
How to do a high march:
- Place hands on kitchen counter or other stable surface for support.
- Keep back straight and abdominals lifted
- Raise your knees to march, keeping your knees pointing forward (do not twist)
- March twenty times, rest, repeat
Additional Information About Fall Prevention:
Maria: For those readers who may want to learn more about how to prevent falls, where do you suggest they look on the Web?
Celeste & Julie: We recommend three resources:
- The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has statistics and information about Falls and Older Adults: http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/index.html
- The National Institute on Aging has a Senior Health section devoted to Falls: http://nihseniorhealth.gov/falls/aboutfalls/01.html
- US Dept of Health & Human Services has activity guidelines for older adults: http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/chapter5.aspx
Thanks so much to Celeste Carlucci and Julie Kardachi of Fall Stop…MOVE STRONG for the excellent information!
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Do you have questions about the information presented here? If so, get in touch with me!
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