Greatest Improvement Award is a TIE; 66 and 69 year old

We just finished another awesome 4-week FallProof™ balance training session at Fit-4U Fitness Studio and the results are in!  Everyone, from age 66-81, improved in at least TWO areas of physical fitness directly involved in daily balance.

The greatest improvements were seen in lower body strength and lower body flexibility; both essential in a steady walking gait, reduced tripping hazards and improved reaction times.  I use standardized senior fitness tests to do pre-and post-testing; after all, you're guessing if you're not assessing.

The (69) sixty-nine year old participant results:

• Lower body Strength:  75% stronger in pre-and post-scores
• Lower body Flexibility:  Gained an inch of flexibility and movement
• Dynamic Balance and Agiliity: Quicker by one and half seconds

(66) sixty-six year old female:

• Increased lower body strength by 15% however she is now in the 100th percentile of women same age.
• Increased lower body flexibility by three and a half inches; placing her in the 13th percentile for similar age and gender

Excellent job everyone in the class!

While I love seeing huge improvements like these, four weeks is an unusually short time to expect such results.  It is not a competition but these numbers do not lie; your body was made to be in motion.  Let's keep it that way!

Next class begins March 30th.

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Multi-sensory fall risk assessments using the FAB scale in south Sacramento

As a certified FallProof balance and mobility specialist, I am trained to use the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale to assess adults over the age of 60 for fall risk.  The FAB is a 10-item test designed to assess the ability level of the different muscles and senses involved in balance and mobility.

September is National Fall Prevention Awareness month and for my kick-off to increasing awareness about falls within my community, I offered FREE balance and mobility assessments at Parkside Community Church in South Land Park in south Sacramento.  I had a great turn-out!

Six older adults read the advertisement in The Sacramento Bee and found me in the church located at the corner of 5700 S.Land Park Drive and 43rd Ave; caddy corner from Belle Cooledge Community Center.    We started shortly after 10am and I finished the last FAB at 11:45.  I briefly consulted with a concerned daughter about her parent's, aged 89 and 87. 

I told her they weren't too late to improve as one of the ladies whom I assessed today was 91 years old!  She did fantastic!  I loved talking with her and her daughter, both whom did well.  It was an absolute joy to talk with each and every person and I love doing these assessments.

I will be offering a FREE educational workshop, Fall Prevention 101, in two weeks!  On Monday, September 23, the free dynamic workshop will shed new light on the balance system and how aging affects the muscles and senses involved in staying upright!  We will meet at 10am in the main sanctuary at Parkside Community Church.  I will try to put out signs!!! 

See you at Parkside!!!
Visit my website for more information:  http://www.fallpreventionlady.com

I will be offering free balance assessments at Northminster Presbyterian Church on Sept. 25 (9a-noon) and Eskaton's Live Well at Home Open House (10:30am-1:30pm)

Fall risk assessment results are in....

13 older adults were assessed for fall risk at the Sam Pannell Community Center (SPCC). Because this was a group of higher functioning elders who live independently within the local community, the appropriate fall risk assessment tool to use was the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale. It takes approximately 15 minutes per person to implement and provides myself and the participant with valuable insight about the multiple dimensions involved in balance and mobility.

Having just completed an extensive literature review for my fall prevention exercise thesis, I am familiar with the demographics and percentages associated with older adults and falls. For instance, it is estimated that one in three adults over the age of 65 falls each year (CDC, 2008). If one third of adults fall each year, I am curious about the percentage that is AT RISK. Obviously, more people are at risk of falling than those who actually fall but it would be interesting to know those numbers. Perhaps future doctoral studies will gain some insight to those numbers? :)

Anyhow, according to the valid and reliable FAB fall risk assessment tool, 7 out of 13 adults over the age of 65 were identified at risk of falling at the SPCC FAB clinic. What was interesting was that 7 out of the 13 adults were over the age of 80 and all but one of those in the eighth decade of life were identified at an increased risk of falling. Although small in sample size, the results of the SPCC FAB clinic support research indicating that the risk of falling increases with age.

So what can one do to reduce the risk of falling? REMAIN ACTIVE. Get into a consistent exercise program that focuses on strength and endurance training, balance and flexibility training. Of course, I recommend the FallProof™ program but if you do like exercise at home and want to start slowly, the Take 5 to Exercise™ fall prevention DVD series is a great place to start. Engaging in a walking program in addition to participating in the Take 5 to Exericse™ DVDs is a fabulous way to reduce the risk of falls, no matter what age.

Loving research and evidence-based programs,
The Fall Prevention Lady