balancebombom prospekt paperturn - Flipbook - Side 15
Explainer: why does our balance get worse as we grow older?
Artikel af Dawn Skelton fra Glasgow Caledonian University
https://theconversation.com/explainer-why-does-our-balance-get-worse-as-we-grow-older-48197
The normal sensory feedback from your
joints to the brain is reduced by swollen feet
and ankles and poor flexibility. Diseases in
weight-bearing joints, such as arthritis, may
cause errors in foot placement, while distorted or painful feet and poorly-fitted shoes
can pass misleading information to the brain
about the nature of your contact with the
ground when you’re walking.
Vestibular abnormalities such as vertigo or
inner ear infections are causes of dizziness,
which can also increase the risk of a falls.
Certain medications which are commonly
prescribed among the older population – such
as aspirin, quinine, and some antibiotics and
diuretics – can lead to problems in vestibular
function.
All these age-related changes increase the
likelihood of a fall, as you’re faced with
planned or unplanned challenges to your
balance during day-to-day life. But with all of
these extra concerns, there’s a risk that older
people will to descend into a vicious spiral of
inactivity: many of these “ageing” changes to
the body are accelerated by sedentary behaviour, which in turn leads to a greater reduction in strength and balance, loss of bone and
an increased risk of falls.
strength and balance: examples include lifting
weights, yoga, Tai Chi, Otago or postural
stability classes, bowls and dancing. And
it’s important to check that the instructor is
trained to teach older adults if the person is
new to exercise.
That being said, of the trials of exercise
programmes aimed at reducing falls as many
have failed as have succeeded. The greatest
relative effects of exercise on fall rates were
seen in programmes that included in excess of
50 hours (either an hour a week for a year or
twice a week for a 6 month period), together
with challenging balance exercises in which
people aimed to stand with their feet closer
together or on one leg, minimise use of their
hands to assist with balancing, and practice
controlled movements of increasing sway over
time.
It’s never too late to start. By concentrating
on forms of exercise that challenge strength
and balance, we can help maintain our bodies’
complex balancing systems, and confine the
time we become dependent on others to a
short period at the end of our lives.
Never too late
The good news is, that it is possible to break
this vicious circle and slow the process of deterioration, improve strength and balance and
reduce the risk of future falls by being active.
We should all aim to be active every day and
build up to 150 minutes of moderate exercise
a week, which should make you feel slightly
out of breath and a bit warmer. This time
can be accumulated in ten-minute bursts. At
least two of these short bursts should build
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