We have noticed in the last six months that patients are telling us with more frequency how they fell and hurt themselves, especially our senior patients.
Some of them because they slipped on a wet surface as we had a few days of rain lately, which we are not used to, or simply for no apparent reason.
As we asked more questions, we realised that since we have to wear a mask pretty much everywhere we go now, there are more people telling us they tripped over something that they had not seen.
As we age, our risk of falling increases. Falling puts us at risk for serious injuries, including broken bones and muscle damage. Here are a few tips to avoid such a fall.
1) Make sure you wear your mask tight to your nose so that when you breathe it doesn’t fog up your glasses. If it does, take time to clean them before you start walking.
2) Remove your reading glasses when you are walking. Always slip them off before you take a step.
3) At home, if you have a cat or a dog, consider putting a bell or reflector on its collar to know where it is. It’s easy to stumble across an affectionate or sleeping pet that’s in your path.
4) Take your time; don’t go rushing to answer the phone or the door.
5) Always sit down to put on or take off shoes and clothing. Place a chair or bench near the entrance.
6) Keep hallways and stairs free of grandchildren’s toys or other items that you may have put on the staircase to bring upstairs later.
7) Wear shoes or slippers with non-slip soles indoors. That means you might have to give up that pair of loose, comfy slippers with the worn soles.
8) Outdoors, wear shoes that are comfortable and stable like running shoes. Avoid gardening wearing flip flops or sandals.
9) Ask for help if you need it. Most people like to lend a hand.
10) Keep your body healthy by keeping active. Going for a walk can help relieve your lower back pain, improve your bone and your mental health, control your diabetes better and help improve your balance.
Don’t let this pandemic slow you down. Improve your overall health by making exercise a part of your daily routine.
If you want to learn more about managing your health with exercise, contact a chiropractor who can help you assess your risk of falls by evaluating your strength and balance. Your chiropractor can also prescribe exercises and give you practical advice to reduce your risk.
By Sandra Genest-Boudreau | Christophe O. Alves
|| [email protected]
Sandra Genest-Boudreau is French-Canadian, who graduated from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1990 before coming to the Algarve in 2002. She is passionate about adjusting all her patients, particularly children. Christophe Alves graduated from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC) UK, and has a special interest in Sport Chiropractic. Algarve Quiroprática clinic: EN125 in Pêra | 282 312 853 | 969 397 375
Licença da ERS n.º 17485/2019 de 11-06-2019
