The Importance of Good Balance And the Link To Fall Prevention
Falls can kill, it is really that simple, so what can be done to reduce the risk of the elderly having a fall.
More and more people fall as they age resulting in fractured wrists and hips which apart from the obvious physical pain cause upheaval, inconvenience and loss of independence. Fall prevention is a well researched subject with preventative measures being preferred to cure.
Each year half of those aged over 80 will fall, which is a shockingly high number.
Good balance is important in helping to avoid falls and now researchers have discovered that balance training improves the ability of the brain to adapt to change, a term known as “plasticity”. This research was conducted amongst people with Parkinson’s disease.
Ways to improve balance include
- Walking,
- T’ai chi
- Dancing and
- keep fit classes.
There is also a website where a personal balance plan can be accessed and there are some products on the market to help with maintaining balance. I would not recommend someone elderly using balance aids
alone however.
