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Exercise to improve balance and prevent falls

by Elizabeth on June 25th, 2008

Falls are a major cause of injury and even death among seniors.

There’s much out there about fall prevention and it often focuses on fall prevention by modifying the environment to remove hazards or discontinuing medications that might negatively affect someone’s gait. But, there’s a new emphasis on activity and exercise as keys to reducing falls:

“Several studies show that exercise and activity, specifically those that help in strengthening, flexibility and balance, can make a significant difference in minimizing one’s chance of falling,” says Jennie Chin Hansen, president of AARP, which has made fall prevention a priority in its efforts to promote healthy behaviors.

For example, some studies have shown that yoga for seniors has a variety of benefits and has been shown to improve strength and stability, thus reducing falls.

Fall prevention and research is instrumental in the safety of our seniors and much is being done such as the Safety of Seniors Act of 2007 in the United States which raises awareness and supports projects related to preventing falls.

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POSTED IN: Aging, Health

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