How to Prevent Falls

Among people 65+ falls are the leading cause of injury and death. 1 in 3 seniors fall every year. The leading cause for falling is lack of activity; decreased muscle, decreased flexibility, poor nutrition, medications and home hazards.

Muscle strength decreases 17-41% per decade after age 40.

Not to worry there is a lot you can do to prevent falls.

Most importantly exercise can reduce your risk of falling by:

I asked senior in home train trainer Rachael Stoltz, a leader in senior health and author of the book “You Past is Not Your Future” what types of workouts were right for prevention.

Stoltz answered “The key to fall prevention is building lean muscle. Developing lean muscle decreases joint pain, build bone density and decreases injuries. Lean muscle gives you better balance, builds strength and burns fat at rest. For me it’s not just about strength training, it’s a combination of weight training, balance training, nutritional counseling, foam rolling, stretching and reviewing home safety checklists for fall prevention. It’s important to learn the right way to stand, sit and get on the floor. Anyone can be strong, feel safe and maintain their independence.”

Rachael Stolz has a bachelors degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Physical Therapy. I asked Stoltz’s longtime client about his experience with fall prevention.

Roger Beale said “I’m 83 years old. I have been training with Rachael for a while to gain strength and balance. I tripped and fell and caught myself in a push up position. I jumped my legs in and stood up! Rachael has changed my life, she has given me the confidence in my abilities so that I can keep my independence.”