Fall prevention exercise program

So what are the different types of exercise a person must to do reduce the risk of a fall?  A balanced exercise program that focuses on functional abilities is what researchers recommend older adults practice.  Researchers have identified four types of exercise a person should be doing to reduce the risk of an accidental fall.  


1.  Balance training:  Obviously if a person wants to prevent a fall, s/he needs to practice balance training.  Tai Chi is an excellent way to increase awareness of body position in space and learn how to control your bodily movements but that is just one aspect of balance.


2.  Flexibility training:  Due to physiological changes associated with aging, our connective tissue loses elasticity resulting in less flexibility with age.  This stiffness is more evident in our lower body and affects our walking gait.  We need to stretch more as we age.  While some types of yoga is good for flexibility training,  holding some of the positions in yoga require strength.

3.  Strength training: Adults need lean muscle mass if they want to remain independent.  Unfortunately, we lose muscle mass as we age.  The best thing an older adult can do to reduce the risk of a fall is to strengthen her/his lower body muscles.   Strength training or resistance work, has amazing benefits for older adults and it's NEVER TOO LATE to benefit from regular strength training. 

4.  Endurance training:  Often, this type of training elevates the heart rate and has some cardiovascular benefits however I like to think of endurance training for older adults as total body movement sustained for 15 minutes or longer.  Increased endurance levels improve the ability to do activities of daily living without fatigue.  While walking is great exercise, it is not the only type of movement a person should be doing to remain independent.


So there it is...if you want to reduce the risk of an accidental fall, slip or trip, try to incorporate each type of exercise into your routine.  Don't get discouraged and give up...you can do the Basic 5 stretches featured in my Take 5 to Exercise DVD series anytime, anywhere. 


If you don't have any idea where to start, I recommend purchasing my new book, The Complete Guide to Fall Prevention.  My book describes the different types of exercise, provides step-by-step instructions and pictures of how to get started in a well-balanced exercise program designed to keep you independent.


Get moving to stay independent!
The Fall Prevention Lady

Death, Taxes and Exercise.

There are some things in life that we just have to accept.  Death and taxes are two of them and the third is exercise.  Death is inevitable, we have to pay taxes and if you want to do the things you enjoy, you have to do some type of exercise. 

Some people enjoy exercise and others can't stand it.  Some people want to stay in their homes and out of assisted living facilities for as long as possible and others don't care what happens to them.  There's a connection between exercise and staying in your home.   If you want you want to stay at home, you must do some type of physical activity.  Regularly.

I'm not talking about running marathons, aerobic dancing like Jane Fonda or prancing around with Richard Simmons but I am talking about basic stretching, strengthening and balance exercises.   Doing these different kinds of activity can reduce your risk of a fall and help you stay in your home.

I have a client and she hates to exercise.  If it were her choice, she would sit in her Lazy-Boy all day and not do anything other than eat, sleep and watch TV.  She ended up in the hospital after a fall and had to go to rehab hospital for a few days.  

All she wanted was to go home but couldn't be released until she was strong enough.  Once she got home, she has to continue doing the exercises if she wants to stay there. 
Enter the Fall Prevention Lady! 
While I visit her twice a week, it's her choice whether or not to do the exercises I assign her. 

She and I had a heart to heart last week after a frustrating session.  I explained that she had to do some basic exercises (a list I provide in my new book, The Complete Guide to Fall Prevention) if she wanted to stay out of assisted living.

 It's that simple; if you love your home and want to stay there, you have to put forth some effort to exercise on a regular basis.   Accept exercise now so you don't have to face death sooner.