A healthy 72-year-old, mother of a friend, stepped into a ditch between two paver stones on the pavement outside home, stumbled, fell, broke her hip, was operated on within 48 hours but could not return to normal The routine, physically and mentally, deteriorated and he died 14 months later.
How to Avoid Falling: Guidelines and Tips
This is not an unusual story. Many of you have already faced such situations, either with yourself or with family elders and realized how devastating the injuries and their consequences can be related to falls and falls.
About 1/3 of people over the age of 60 fall at least once in their lifetime and some, many more. There are now about 91 million (91 million) people in India, which means a large number of people are at risk of falls and injuries and complications related to falls. For example in 2019, 2.2 lakh (220,000) people died of falls and fall-related complications [1], which is possibly an underestimate.
as part of our atmasvasth To live long, healthy, we don’t need to fall and if we do fall, not fracture.
Today’s focus is only on fall prevention. I will discuss the issue of improving the density and quality of our bones another day.
There are many guidelines and suggestions, some based on data and some on common sense telling us what to do to prevent falls. These can be broadly classified as
1. physical activity
2. Individual Measures
3. Home Remedies
physical activity
physical activity, as I keep repeating ad nauseam, in any form, there is a magic bullet that makes a difference. However for fall prevention, strength and balance training should be part of a physical activity routine. Tai-chi has been proven to reduce the incidence of serious, harmful falls. [2] And so, logically, yoga should help too. Although yoga has been found to improve balance [3]Studies showing its efficacy in reducing the incidence of falls are lacking, a shortcoming that will hopefully be addressed in the near future. So, if you practice yoga regularly, as I do, please keep doing it.
individual measures
The following needs to be addressed:
1. Vision and Hearing: We should be aware of what is happening around us.
2. medicinesAll medications that can cause falls should be reviewed. Many people, by the time they reach the age of 65-70 years, fall prey to multi-pharmacology, taking multiple medicines for many problems, whether needed or not. Not only for fall prevention, but otherwise, every couple of years, it’s a good idea to review the list of medications and reduce them to the minimum number needed to maintain optimal health.
3. Hypotension and dizziness, especially postural: If we lose balance or feel dizzy when getting up from bed or from the toilet seat suddenly, we must learn to take it slow and easy during these activities.
4. suppliesVitamin D and calcium supplements help when deficient, but not otherwise.
5. cane and walker: they matter [4], The problem is that people who are currently over the age of 70 have a clear opposition to using them for various socio-cultural reasons, a problem that needs to be addressed slowly and deftly.
6. avoidance of dangerous activity: The last two parents of friends who fractured had a similar story. He was climbing the stairs to get something in the kitchen and fell and broke. I’m not even talking about risky activities like skiing or skating… even climbing ladders or makeshift stools, trying new dance moves (one parent dancing loudly during wedding music) started, slipped, fell and fractured), aggressive yoga postures… As we age, we need to understand the limits of our bodies and behave accordingly.
home remedies
These include assessing the home for fall risk (such as slippery floors, toilet and bathroom railings, replacing old rugs, etc.) as well as addressing issues in buildings (such as lack of guide rails, good lighting, etc.). etc.) and installation. Steps to improve your surroundings to reduce the risk of falls. It’s a good idea to do a quick check on your homes and surroundings from time to time to make sure they are fall-proof.
So, how does all this affect you and us? In our self-healthy quest to live longer, healthier lives, you need to make sure you don’t fall and that if you fall, you won’t get seriously hurt. Physical activity helps build muscle strength and improves balance. You should have your vision and hearing checked, reduce unnecessary medications, use a cane if necessary, avoid silly dangerous activities, and make sure your home and surroundings are “fall-proof.”
footnote
1. Kaur R, et al.. Natl Med J India. 2020 Jul-Aug 33(4):195-200
2. Lee F et al.. JAMA Net Open. 2019 Feb 1; 2(2): e188280
3. Yukhana S et al. Age old age 2016 Jan;45(1):21-9.
4. Luz C et al.. Gerontologists. 2017 Apr 1;57(2):211-218
Disclaimer
The views expressed above are those of the author.
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