Fall Prevention: Simple Tips To Prevent Falls

One of the reasons I study and practice yoga is to maintain my balance during my life after 50. We do poses to improve our balance on two feet with poses such as “Warrior” and on one foot with poses such as “Tree.” Being better balanced can help prevent falls as we age. 

As the snow piled up on my doorstep recently, I was reminded of how easy it is to slip on icy and wet surfaces during the cold-weather months. Several family members and friends fell on black ice last winter. One friend fractured her elbow.

According to the National Safety Floor Institute (NSFI), falls are the leading cause of hospital emergency room visits. An AARP Bulletin in December 2015 says, “Injuries caused by falls are affecting adults ages 45 to 64, just as they are for those 65 and older, according to data collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s national injury-surveillance system.” Not good news.

Fall prevention may not seem like a lively topic, but it’s important. As you get older, physical changes and health conditions and sometimes the medications used to treat those conditions make falls more likely. In fact, falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults. Still, fear of falling doesn’t need to rule your life. Instead, consider six simple fall-prevention strategies.

Did you know that one in four older Americans falls every year? Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries for people aged 65+. Falls can result in hip fractures, broken bones, and head injuries. And even falls without a major injury can cause an older adult to become fearful or depressed, making it difficult for them to stay active. If you have an aging parent, grandparent, or neighbor in your life, helping them reduce their risk of falling is a great way to help them stay healthy and independent as long as possible.

So now that you know falling is a serious health issue, what can you do to prevent a fall?

“Shoes Designed With Your Sole In Mind”

Besides practicing yoga for balance, I was interested to learn about a line of shoes that was engineered to be slip-resistant.”We are a footwear company that makes casual flats and sandals for women. However, we use a fully patented outsole that provides the strongest grip on all slippery surfaces. We focus on primarily shoes designed to prevent slips and falls,” said Rhea Footwear’s cofounder John Lee in his email. He offered to send a pair for me to try.

Rhea Footwear makes slip-resistant shoes and flip-flops.

The Rhea website says John and his cofounder, Paul Ahn, brought together the technology that provides superior grip on all terrains and a stylish design while at Cornell University (my alma mater). During their time in Ithaca, New York place where it rains and snows more often than it shines they were unable to find shoes that were practical in the rain and snow while being stylish. 

Rhea was founded with the mission to deliver high-quality shoes that integrate style with technology. (Wish I had these shoes when I had to climb Libe Slope to make it to class during winters in the ’70s. Half the time I felt like when I put one foot forward the other foot went backward.) Read More...