Learn to Have Better Balance and Prevent Falls as You Age - January 13, 2025

0:01To age well, doctors say we should remember the importance of good balance. It matters when you wash yourself, put clothing on, and generally move around in your home and elsewhere. As we age, good balance permits us to live more independently. Difficulties with balance can be dangerous. The United States Centers for Disease Control reports that 3 million older people in America seek medical care for fall-related injuries each year. But we can prevent some falls, said Rupa Anmol Singh. She is a geriatrician, a doctor who specializes in treating old people. She was also the creator of the Balance Class program at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. She said that some people have a misconception If you feel unsteady or lose balance from time to time, ask your doctor to check all

1:38Have Better Balance and Prevent Falls as You Age If you can stand on each leg alone for 10 seconds, you should be fine, said Greg W. Hartley, a professor of physical therapy specializing in geriatrics at the University of Miami in Florida. If you can't do that, then you should probably go see a physical therapist, he said. A physical therapist treats people with conditions or injuries that affect body movement. Another at-home test is called TUG for Timed Up and Go. Hartley suggests doing this test with supervision. You begin the test from a seated position. Then stand up and start a timer immediately. Walk 3 meters, turn and walk back to your seat. Stop the timer as soon as you sit down. If the test takes you longer to complete than 15 seconds, your risk for falling is very high.

3:33But if you do it in 12 seconds or less, your fall risk is almost zero. Also, the National Council on Aging offers an online set of questions to predict your risk of a fall. What Can I Do to Improve Balance? Because muscle mass lessens in most people during their 30s, geriatricians say the best way to keep good balance is to stay physically active throughout life. Anmol Singh says it is never too late to act on that advice. Activities including tai chi and yoga are good for older adults because they involve Have Better Balance and Prevent Falls as You Age – January 13, 2025 How often should I do the exercises? The National Institute of Aging says people should spend at least 150 minutes per week

5:10in general physical activity to improve balance and overall health. Hartley said exercises done on a usual basis help train the brain to react correctly when you start to fall. Just like an athlete needs to do repetition to train for a sport, you're doing repetition to Train for Everyday Balance Activities, he said. I'm Jill Robbins