Keeping Your Balance and Avoiding Falls as You Age

Falling is not an inevitable part of growing old. Most of the risk comes from things that can be changed, both in the body and around the house.

After middle age, muscle mass falls away if it is not used, reflexes slow down and the sense of balance weakens. A slip of the foot can easily turn into a fall. In an older person, a single fall can lead to a broken bone, a long spell in bed and the gradual loss of the ability to walk unaided.

The good news is that most of the risk factors can be acted on, and what needs doing is not at all strenuous.

Three kinds of exercise to include

• Balance: standing on one leg while holding a chair, walking heel to toe along a straight line, shifting your weight from one leg to the other
• Leg strength: standing up from a chair and sitting down again without using your hands, rising onto your toes, stepping up onto a low step
• Gentle endurance: walking regularly, using a stationary bike, swimming or walking in water

Traditional exercise routines, tai chi and gentle yoga are all very good for training balance, with the added advantage that they are done in a group, which makes them easier to keep up.

Training safely

Always have something to hold when you train your balance: the back of a sturdy chair, a table top, or a wall. Better still, have someone nearby for the first few sessions. Start short, a few minutes a day, then build up.

The home needs adjusting too

• Clear away electrical cords, slippery rugs and objects left in walkways
• Fit bright enough lighting in hallways, on stairs and at the entrance to the bathroom
• Use a non-slip mat in the bathroom, and consider fitting grab rails
• Wear slippers that grip and fit well, and avoid loose sandals and slippery socks
• Keep the things you use often within reach, so you never have to climb on a chair

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if you have had a fall in the past year, even if it did not hurt much; if you often feel dizzy or light-headed when you stand up; if you feel unsteady on your feet, weak in the legs, or numb in the feet; or if you have begun to fear falling so much that you are reluctant to leave the house.

It is also worth asking your doctor to review all the medication you are taking, since some medicines lower your blood pressure on standing or cause drowsiness. Do not forget regular eye and hearing checks — poor sight and poor hearing both raise the risk of falling.

This information is for general reference only and does not replace advice from your doctor.

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