According to the National Council on Aging, more than ¼ of Americans 65 years of age or older fall every year. Out of these falls, more than 60% occur in the home. Falls can have detrimental effects on your health, both physical and mental. There are many things you can do to help lower your risk for falls, such as making your home safer by removing tripping hazards and having your eyes and feet checked regularly, as these can impact your balance. For today though, let’s talk about how my favorite activity, exercise, can help you reduce your risk for falls.
Exercises that target the upper body, lower body, and core are ideal for helping to prevent falls. Wait….isn’t that the entire body? The answer is yes. Often many think only the lower body and core play a role in our ability to maintain balance. However, it’s really our entire body working in synergy that helps us maintain our balance, like you learned earlier in our journey together. Here are some examples of different exercises you can do to help strengthen your entire body and help lower your risk for falls. By each example, you will see alternative options. Complete the option that is safest for you.
Lower Body
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Sit-to-stand (getting up and mimicking sitting back down). Complete with or without a chair.
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Leg curl and extension. Complete sitting down or standing up (with no added weight) or via a leg curl/extension machine at a gym.
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Hip Hinge. Complete sitting or standing.
Core
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Side twists. Complete sitting in a chair, standing, or while also doing a lunge.
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If you cannot safely get down/up from the ground, consider completing this exercise in your bed.
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Forearm plank. Complete on the ground with or without your knees touching the floor. If you cannot safely get down/up off the floor, try completing in your bed.
Upper Body
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Push-up. Complete on the ground or against a wall.
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Shoulder press. Complete sitting or standing, with or without weight.
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Tricep kickback. Complete with or without weight, sitting or standing.
Bonus alert! Here are a few balance exercises to try out too. As you learned earlier in the journey, it is recommended to complete balance exercises at least 3 days per week and strength training at least 2 to 3 days.
Balance
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Balancing on one foot
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Front-to-back or side-to-side leg raises
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Heel-to-toe stand
Besides these examples, other forms of exercise like yoga, pilates, and tai chi can help increase your strength and balance and may help reduce your risk for falls. You will learn more about these soon. Don't forget to always focus on safety first and check with your provider before starting any new exercise routine.