4 Super Simple Things You Can (Right Now) To Prevent Your Next Fall
An adult falls every 11 seconds and is taken to the ER. The list of potential injuries are long and quite scary. broken arms, hip fractures needing replacements, traumatic brain injuries, and even death. Many people believe this is something they cannot avoid and is a part of aging, but that is false!
Falls are 100% avoidable. The best way to reduce your risk is by making changes to the biggest issues causing us to trip: Reducing tripping hazards, improve strength of your legs, increase the flexibility of your joints, practice balancing exercises, make your home more accessible.
Here are 4 specific things you can do to reduce your fall risk
Stretch your ankles daily. Reduce your fall risk by being able to lean forward without losing your balance. You only need 30 seconds a day on each leg to improve your flexibility. Place both hands on a wall with your feet staggered and lean forward.
Strengthen the muscles that help you get out of a chairs. The muscles in front of your thigh and tush help keep you upright. Practice standing up and slowly sitting back down again. I like to do these at the kitchen counter so I can use my hands help myself get up or down slowly.
Keep a flashlight near your bed. Aging eyes don’t acclimate to changes in light well. Prevent a late night slip. Simple fix, head out to the dollar store and save your life for a buck and change!
Balance your body in-line. Imagine your balancing on a tightrope, but no need to walk on it. Just stand there. Again, standing at the kitchen counter is a safe bet. too hard? Separate your feet a bit. Too easy? Really?!? Too easy? ok, try closing your eyes.
AN EXTRA TIP! Just for you! Sit up for 5 seconds before getting out of bed. Blood pressure changes can cause a quick drop and land you in the ER.
The cost of a fall, both monetarily and in quality of life, is not a bet anyone should make! It’s a real life Whammy
Call The Traveling Physical Therapist to schedule your fall prevention home evaluation using the code LUCK and you we will mail you our life-saving fall prevention book for FREE. Give us a call at (646)733-4737 or visit us at http://www.TheTravelingPT.com
Dr. Daniel Davids PT DPT grew up in Queens, NY with a knack for communicating with others. He loved to listen and learn about his friends, family, and community members. These social skills led him to choose a career path in teaching health education. Daniel attended SUNY Cortland to receive his Bachelors in Health Science Education.
While in Cortland, he also fed another yearning: He became a professional wrestler! Like the other sports entertainers seen on TV, Daniel was able to perform his trade in front of thousands of fans. While touring the Northeast and maintaining his studies, Daniel became enthralled with fitness, specifically how it related to anatomy and physiology.
Daniel was granted the Ross L. Allen Award for his administrative leadership potential, academic excellence, and qualities of warmth, sincerity, and “joie de vivre” or “love of life.” Throughout his studies in Cortland, before his undergraduate studies came to an end, Daniel met & married Laura, a beautiful woman who lived just two blocks away from him and with whom he had gone to elementary and middle school.
Daniel watched as his grandmother suffered a fall that landed her in an ER before getting a hip replacement. When she returned home, she was told to go to a PT clinic- which she declined as she wasn't comfortable leaving the home so soon after falling. Because there were no other services available, she made do at home...until she didn't. She had ANOTHER fall, and this one landed her back in the ER and eventually into a rehab/nursing home. Sadly, she never made it back out.
This had such a profound impact that Daniel applied to Stony Brook University’s Physical Therapy doctoral program and was even elected class president. Once graduated, he started The Traveling Physical Therapist, an in-home Medicare-covered Physical Therapy service providing care throughout New York. He never wanted anyone to have to suffer a similar fate that his grandmother did. In fact, in 2019, Dr. Davids started a program called the "400 Fewer Falls Initiative" where he sought to reduce the fall risk of 400 seniors through education, service, and equipment at low or no cost to them.
When Daniel is not treating and doing workshops, he enjoys writing, shooting video, physical fitness, listening to and reading non-fiction, and playing with his two young children, Zack and Charlotte.
Call now to set up your first appointment with Dr. Davids (646) 733-4737 View all posts by Dr. Daniel Davids PT DPT
Long Island's Traveling Physical Therapist 