Sun City’s tennis courts in recent months have seen some serious injuries due to off balance movements. A few broken bones have occurred with one female participant landing face forward on the court leaving her with a broken jaw and a broken wrist. As another community tennis player commented “Not being able to keep balance doesn’t allow seniors to have fun at what they like to do. These were experienced players!” Let’s then explore the phenomenon of balance and how we, as seniors, can attempt to prevent sports’ falls, as well as everyday lifestyle slips.
In addition to our five traditional senses, equilibrioception or balance is now being recognized amongst a field of five newer senses. Balance is the body’s ability to remain stable and coordinated as you move and carry out tasks throughout the day. To do this, the body relies on a host of senses to keep from becoming unbalanced and falling over. In the inner ear is found the labyrinth, one of the most important parts of this cooperative effort as it is able to sense all motions. Eyesight, touch, muscle sensory, as well as the Central Nervous System, also assist in coordinating balance.
The problem that exists as we age is that numerous medical conditions and medications can mess up the signals sent from the inner ear to our brains with the result of dizziness and problems with balance. In the United States, one in three people over the age of 40 suffer from such issues. For those over the age of 40 with balance issues, their risk of falling is as much as 12 times greater than that of the rest of the population according to research from Johns Hopkins University. For those over the age of 80, balance issues make their risk for falls more than 20 times that of people in their 40s. Falls can result in disability for anyone, but most likely to be injured by a fall are seniors. In fact, falls are the number one cause of nonfatal and fatal injuries amongst those 65 and older and roughly 40% of all hospital admissions for seniors are because of falls. Furthermore, studies by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality have found that seniors go to emergency departments 2 million times each year due to falls at a cost of more than $19 billion dollars per year.
Worse than the dollar costs, however, are the effects on the lives of those seniors who fall. Of those who go to the emergency department, more than 40% have experienced a fracture and of those with a fracture, 50% are hospitalized. For those who suffer a fracture, 41% will end up living in a nursing home or in long term care having lost their ability to live independently. The same is true of the 1 in 3 individuals who experience some form of internal injury resulting from a fall.
An overlooked risk of equilibrium issues is the social isolation that individuals with the condition face. People with dizziness and balance instability can feel depressed; they are often anxious leaving their homes because of increased risks of falling. In addition, the tendency to limit one’s motions to suppress symptoms can also result in a very sedentary lifestyle that could lead to obesity, heart disease, and more important, leg muscle atrophy. (The leg muscle problem will be discussed at the end of this article.) One Sun City resident attempts to live a normal life despite her symptoms of Mal de debarquement Syndrome.
“I’ve had it about 25 years. It starts out more intermittent, but now it’s more chronic and I have it for 6 months to a year. I need a wall to steady myself. It’s worse standing, or when [I’ve] eaten fully or when [I’m] tired.”
This syndrome is known as the “Illness of the Trip” as it usually begins with an ocean cruise or a very long auto ride where the feeling of motion does not quit.
While aging causes all of our senses to worsen, researchers have found that specific conditions put seniors at greater risk for falls: (1) stroke, (2) dementia, (3) walking and balance disorders, (4) muscle, ligament, and tendon weakness in the legs, ankles, and feet, (5) use of assistive devices to get around, (6) a history of falling in the past, and (7) vision problems. Plus pain killers, blood pressure reducing drugs, and drugs for reducing inflammation, among other meds, also contribute to balance problems.
What then can we do to help ourselves prevent unnecessary falls and continue our healthy lifestyles?
(1) Discuss your own risk factors with your doctor who may perform screening tests to evaluate your risk of falling. He may also recommend safety products to help you walk better. (2) Check for these problems in your own homes: (a) clutter found on your floors, (b) hazards such as electric cords or throw rugs (which should be secured), (c) improper lighting. (3) Install grab bars in the bathrooms and anti-slip strips there and on highly polished floors. (4) Have your vision checked yearly. (5) Ask your doctor or pharmacist to review all of your meds which may be causing dizziness or confusion. (6) Practice good posture. If slumped forward in posture, your balance has already been compromised. (7) Add Vitamin D supplement to your diet. Older adults who do so, may reduce their chances of falling by 19% according to eight combined studies in the British Medical Journal. (8) Most important, get your doctor’s permission to exercise!
Exercises that improve balance and coordination such as yoga and dance, as well as all sports and senior balance training exercise programs, can be extremely helpful!
Mariluz Welvers, yoga instructor, tells us “In yoga, we use lots of balance exercises to strengthen the organs of balance in the inner ear. Balance is the key word – balancing strength in right and left sides of brain by doing exercises. Right and left sides have to be symmetrical.”
Sandy Oldham, Sun City’s Hoofers’ and Hunks’ tap dance instructor, adds “Dance movement utilizes both the right and left side of your body equally, and you are constantly shifting your weight from side to side. Many times you are moving one leg while balancing on the other. Leg muscles have to work hard to maintain your balance while doing this. You also improve agility, so that if you lose your balance, you can recover it quickly with strong legs developing through dance.”
Walk, stair climb, get in and out of your car, pick up something off of the ground, get up from a chair, step down off a curb – – do these movements daily as often as possible. Those leg muscles need to “use it or lose it!”
This winter whether you are here, in a ski area, or in a warmer climate: It’s back to the tennis courts, golf courses, softball fields, bocce courts, swimming pools, walking paths, bowling lanes, bicycle trails, ice skating ponds, Nordic and alpine ski hills/mountains, and all exercises requiring equilibrium.
Here at Sun City, we’re out for quality of life, and that definitely means having the sensible sense of balance.
Part II continues in the November 17 Edition.
