As old age beckons and the physical body of parents declines, there is a higher risk of falls associated with their daily activities. Such risks may be associated with reduced lower limb strength, imbalanced physical structures, and anxiety driven by the risk of falling.
According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), more than 30% of older adults experience falls on an annual basis. Such falls are even more troubling due to the severe consequences such as fatality and spinal injuries that the NLM reports is more likely in older adults aged 65 and above.
Falls in older adults clearly threaten their lives and ability to enjoy old age effectively. Therefore, old adults should learn more on how they can use physical therapy and balance exercises to reduce the risk of falling and boost their confidence in old age.
Read on to find out more on how to age with confidence by preventing falls in older adults.
Factors Increasing the Chances of Falls in Older Adults
Falls risks in elderly populations are increasing. According to NLM reports, there was an increase in fall-related mortality among older adults between 2005 and 2016 from 43 per million to 62 per million.
While falls are common to all humans, some key factors make older people more likely to fall. These factors include:
Lower Body Weakness
Strong legs are responsible for the mobility of agile and young individuals. When the legs get weak in older adults, it compromises their ability to avoid falls while carrying out their daily activities. Lower body weakness can be caused by the overall decline that happens in muscle mass and bone density in elderly people.
Vitamin D Deficiency
According to the NCBI, Vitamin D Deficiency causes an overall reduction in bone mineral density and bone strength. This causes an overall instability in the mobility of older adults and increases their chances of falling.
Difficulties with Walking and Balance
Elderly people dealing with arthritis, joint pains and conditions that affect their musculoskeletal system and nervous systems might experience a general imbalance. The lack of coordination ensuing from these conditions may lead to falls for elderly people.
Medication Use
Prescription drugs for elderlies should be administered with caution and in accordance with the doctor’s advice. This is important as drug effects such as sedation, dizziness, and hypotension may lead to falls for elderly people.
Vision Problems
Visually impaired older adults who have poor vision and false depth perception may be likely to experience falls. Eye conditions, including myopia and astigmatism in older adults, require urgent health attention.
What Can Happen After a Fall?
Falls among older adults may not only cause immediate Injuries like bruises and dislocations. They can have lasting and severe consequences, such as fractured bones, severe pains, and immobility. The effects of a fall progresses from immediate Injuries to the following:
Fractured Bones
Broken bones, particularly fractures of the hip, upper arm, wrist, and pelvis, are prevalent in older adults who experience falls. According to the CDC, approximately 2% of falls result in a broken hip and about 5% lead to other bone fractures. These fractures often necessitate surgical intervention and extended rehabilitation in older adults.
Torn Ligaments and Deep Cuts
Falls can result in torn ligaments and deep cuts, which may require sutures or surgical repair. These injuries can be painful and debilitating, impacting an individual’s mobility and overall well-being.
Organ Damage
The force of a fall can lead to internal injuries, such as damage to organs like the kidneys or liver. These injuries may not always be immediately apparent but can lead to significant health complications if left untreated.
Loss of Consciousness or Head Injuries
In some cases, falls result in a loss of consciousness or a head injury, which can range from mild concussions to more severe traumatic brain injuries. Head injuries demand immediate medical attention due to their potential for long-term cognitive and neurological effects.
The Role of Physical Therapy in Fall Prevention
Physical therapy treatment plays a major role in preventing falls in older adults. Physical therapy for older adults focuses on improving their physical well-being and reducing their falling risks via exercise. The following are ways physical therapy enables fall prevention:
Improving Balance and Strength
Fall prevention programs can considerably improve the balance and strength of older adults. Through the help of physical therapy treatment, adults can practice and improve their balance. Physical therapists can design exercises to improve the leg muscles’ strength and balance of older adults, reducing the likelihood of a fall. The exercises may put some pressure on the body but will not be too intense for the elderly person.
Building Coordination
A physical therapist can address coordination issues by incorporating strengthening exercises that enhance muscular balance. By correcting movement patterns and building coordination skills, older adults can move more confidently and reduce their risk of accidents related to uncoordinated movements.
Flexibility and Range of Motion
Stretching exercises prescribed by a physical therapist can improve flexibility and reduce the risk of falls resulting from restricted movements. These exercises are tailored to individual needs and abilities, ensuring that seniors can move more freely and confidently.
Education and Awareness
Physical therapists go beyond exercise routines; they can give education on fall prevention programs to older adults. This includes strategies and guidance on navigating their home and community safely. By studying movement patterns, physical therapists can recommend subtle changes that maximize mobility and minimize fall risks in elderly individuals.
The Benefits of Physical Therapy
Physical therapy yields many benefits for seniors, including fall prevention, independence, and higher mobility. The following are the benefits of physical therapy:
- It enhances the overall quality of life of older adults.
- It increases mobility and reduces the risk of falls.
- It enables older adults to live independently of others for their daily activities.
- It helps older adults to manage chronic conditions like arthritis and back pain.
- It improves their mental well-being by reducing stress and anxiety.
Physical Therapy Treatments for Fall Prevention
Falls can significantly impact an older adult’s quality of life. Hence, it is preferred that they are prevented. Physical therapy offers a proactive and effective approach to fall prevention, focusing on improving balance, muscle strength, and endurance. Some of the physical therapy treatments commonly used to prevent falls include:
Balance Exercises
Physical therapists design personalized balance exercises for each old adult’s needs. These exercises develop the old adult’s balance, increase awareness of body position, and improve stability. Some common balance exercises include standing on one leg, heel-to-toe walking, and tandem walk
Strength Training
Physical therapists may guide old adults through exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles in their legs and core. Strength training exercises may involve using resistance bands, body weights, or light weights. Examples include chair sit-to-stand, leg raises, and gait training. stride length, step width, and foot clearance
Home Safety Evaluation
Physical therapists play a crucial role in making an older adult’s home safer. They can conduct home safety evaluations, identifying potential hazards and recommending modifications to reduce fall risks. Such as encouraging the removal of tripping hazards, installing grab bars, and improving lighting
Education and Medical Risk Factors
In addition to physical exercises and home modifications, physical therapists educate older adults about the medical risk factors associated with falls. They help tp understand how underlying medical conditions or medications can contribute to falls and work with an older adult’s healthcare providers to address these factors.
Physical Therapy Balance Exercises for the Elderly
Balance exercises can help improve balance, stability, and the overall physical well-being of older adults. Here is a list of balance exercises tailored for older adults:
Standing on One Leg
This exercise enhances leg strength and stability, improves the awareness of body position, and reduces the risk of falls.
Heel-to-Toe Walk
This exercise improves balance, coordination, and gait while helping to prevent tripping.
Turning Around
This exercise enhances rotational stability, essential for everyday activities like looking over your shoulder when crossing the street.
Tandem Walk
This exercise improves balance, leg strength, and coordination.
Sidewalk (Lateral Steps)
This exercise enhances lateral stability and the ability to maintain balance when shifting weight.
Clock Reach
This exercise strengthens leg muscles and improves dynamic balance and range of motion.
Chair Sit to Stand
This exercise increases leg strength and functional mobility for activities like getting in and out of chairs or cars.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi helps improve balance, reduces the risk of falls, enhances strength and flexibility, and promotes relaxation.
Tai Chi involves slow, flowing movements that promote balance, flexibility, and mindfulness. Consider enrolling in a Tai Chi class led by a qualified instructor or ask a physical therapist you are seeing.
Yoga
Yoga increases flexibility, strength, and mental clarity while improving balance and reducing stress. Yoga incorporates various poses and stretches that enhance balance, flexibility, and body awareness. Participate in a beginner’s yoga class or follow along with online videos tailored to seniors.
Pilates
Pilates focuses on core strength, flexibility, and controlled movements. Join a Pilates class designed for seniors, or use instructional videos to perform Pilates exercises at home.
Pilates improves core stability, posture, and overall body strength, contributing to better balance and mobility.
Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic therapy is gentle on the joints while offering resistance for muscle strengthening and improved balance. It provides a low-impact exercise routine for better balance and strength. It’s most suitable for individuals experiencing joint pain or mobility limitations.
Aquatic therapy should be carried out under the supervision of a qualified instructor. A therapist must also advise on the best aquatic therapies suitable for each old adult before they can engage in any form of aquatic exercise.
Conclusion
Aging is a beautiful experience especially when you are in good physical and mental health. Taking preventive measures against potential falls is important to ensuring your aged ones live a safer and more fulfilling aging experience.
Physical therapy is one of the assured ways to avoid falls for older adults. It helps them to improve their balance, coordination, and flexibility. Specific balance exercises, such as walking and aquatic exercises helps prevent falls for older adults.
More complex exercises such as pilates, tai chi, and yoga may generate better physical performance in older adults but they must only be engaged in with the help of a qualified instructor. Further assessments should be carried out routinely with a physical therapist on a regular basis.
