Can falls be prevented?
Hello again!
This is the last blog in our Balance series. I hope you like it and share it with your older adult relatives and other people who can benefit from this information.
I anticipate that balance problems can be improved with Physiotherapy and falls are preventable. Falls can lead to complications such as fractures and once older adults fall they are prey to fear, they avoid going out and become increasingly sedentary. This deteriorates other aspects of your health and dramatically reduces your quality of life.
I have worked with these types of patients and it is sad to see the cascade of effects of a fall, I do not wish it on anyone. And if it is something preventable, why not take action and save ourselves that suffering?
Whether you live in Bogotá or outside Bogotá, if you are curious about how Physiotherapy could help you (or your loved one) to regain your balance, contact me and I will help you. My services are totally virtual at this moment, so it is not a limitation where you are. Physiotherapy through Telerehabilitation has many benefits and this is one of them.
Well, answering our initial questions. I tell you …
There are multiple reasons for balance problems. The coexistence of several of them increases the risk of falls. Some of these are:
- Muscle weakness due to reduced physical activity
- Neuropathies and sensation problems in the feet and legs
- Hypotension and sudden changes in position
- Visual deficits
- Ear infections and Meniere’s disease
- Taking more than 4 medications, drinking alcohol, taking opioid pain relievers or antidepressants.
- Lack of security measures in the house
Can falls be prevented?
For the most part yes. There are several things you can do to improve your balance and reduce your risk of falls. I share some of my recommendations:
- Do muscle strengthening and balance exercises daily. Tai Chi practice has been found to be highly effective in improving balance. Personally, I recommend alternating Tai Chi practice a couple of days a week with strengthening, flexibility and balance exercises prescribed by a physical therapist for your particular case, the other days of the week. When performing your balance exercises it is convenient to be near a counter or table or supervised by a family member.
- Have regular visual checkups with the optometrist to ensure that your lens formula is adequate and you have good vision both near and far. Often times, people who wear bifocal or trifocal lenses experience difficulty distinguishing where a step begins and ends, making it difficult for them to go up and down stairs. In these cases, it helps to place tape in a color that contrasts with the steps on the edge of the step and the use of the handrail.
- On steps at the exit of your house to the street, use reflective tape to facilitate the visualization of the steps at night. It also helps a lot to have auxiliary lighting in low-light areas such as hallways, bathrooms, and stairs. Many falls occur at night when older adults try to use the bathroom.
- Avoid having rugs in the house as they increase the risk of tripping and falling.
- Replacing the use of slippers with closed shoes (with a heel) and with a non-slip sole reduces the risk of tripping and falling.
- Schedule a checkup with an Otolaryngologist (a doctor who specializes in ear problems, among others) if you have symptoms of hearing loss, ringing in the ear, nausea, and a feeling that things are moving around you (called vertigo).
- Monitor your blood pressure and consult with your treating physician if the combination of medications may be affecting your balance and coordination.
- When getting out of bed or a chair, get up slowly to allow your blood pressure time to regulate and avoid dizziness.
- Avoid standing on a chair or ladder to reach for objects in high places. Rearrange your items to make them accessible or use a clamp arm to lower them.
- Limit your alcohol intake.
- Install grab bars in the shower and next to the toilet.
- Keep the floors of your house free of objects that you could trip over.