Corrective Exercise can bring many benefits to the elderly, helping to improve the quality of life and maintain health.
More than 15% of the elderly fall more than twice a year.
With that rate, preventing falls is quite important. Below are some of the main benefits of Corrective Exercise/Corrective Sports that help to actively prevent falls in the elderly:
Improve Balance and Reduce the Risk of Falls: Exercises that focus on balance and coordination can help the elderly maintain stability and reduce the risk of falls.
- Improve Heart Health: Regular exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
- Reduce Chronic Disease Risk: Exercise can help prevent or manage many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and diabetes.
- Improve Mental Health: Exercise can reduce the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and reduce the risk of depression.
- Increase Independence: Exercise helps older adults maintain self-care and live independently for longer.
Let’s go back to the causes of falls in older adults today. Older adults are susceptible to falls due to a variety of factors, including:
- Decreased mobility: As we age, our muscles and joints weaken, reducing our ability to maintain balance and move.
- Chronic medical conditions: Conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and osteoarthritis can affect mobility and balance.
- Vision and hearing loss: Poor vision and hearing due to aging or disease reduce the ability to perceive the environment, increasing the risk of falls.
- Medication use: Certain medications, especially sedatives, antidepressants, and cardiovascular medications, can cause dizziness, drowsiness, or decreased reflexes, increasing the risk of falls.
- Unsafe living environments: Slippery floors, poor lighting, and obstacles in the home can be dangerous for older adults.
- Decreased cognitive ability: Cognitive problems such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease reduce the ability to care for oneself and maintain balance.
In addition to chronic diseases or external factors, two-thirds of the causes come from impaired motor function or causes of impaired motor function. This shows how important improving Mobility in older people is to preventing falls and their subsequent dangerous consequences.
So, just because you are getting older doesn’t mean you have to accept it! With a little bit of proper training, you can improve your strength, maintain better balance, and move with confidence like never before.
