Ever hear those
stories about an elderly person falling and their whole life going downhill?
(Oops!)
Ever take a
nasty fall yourself and have to deal with the unexpected repercussions?
Fortunately,
this entire field is coming into focus by doctors and physical therapists with
the hopeful goal of prevention!
Today's post is
from physical therapist Greg Taylor, our popular "Friend" and
director of Physical Therapy at the Foot Center of New York.
Greg talks to us about this new focus:
"If it
hasn't happened to you, I'll bet you know someone who it has happened to, and
until we figure out how to control gravity it is going to keep happening."
"The indirect cost of a fall is something that is hard to measure
but hits close to home!
When a person
is injured from a fall it can start a cascade of events that have an adverse
effect on the entire family, and these effects can often be long-term.
Lost time from
work, dependence on others, and reduced quality of life are the side-effects of
rehabilitation from a fall injury that can add financial and emotional strain
to an already stressful event."
"Here is
the good news; falling can be prevented!
Research shows
that by reducing the risk factors related to falling you can reduce the
occurrence and injury associated with falls.
The key is in
the early
identification of these risk
factors and then taking the proper steps to reduce these risks.
Below are three
of the recommendations to address factors associated with increased risk of
falls - although designed to improve the clinical approach of falls and mobility
in older adults - most of these points are relevant to all of us.
Check these out:
Vision check-up
- pretty self explanatory, but often
overlooked as a possible cause of falls.
Home hazards
assessment - loose rugs,
wires, furniture placement - these are all easy things to change in order to
avoid slips and falls.
Gait analysis - certain characteristics in the
way a person walks can be predictors of falls.
Decreased trunk rotation, speed, uneven step length and increased knee
flexion are some of the most common.
In some cases
orthotic management is recommended to help with a patient's mobility and
stability issues. Custom fit ankle and
foot orthotics have been shown to reduce a person's fall risk."
"In our
physical therapy clinic we combine several different screening tests to detect
specific areas of vulnerabilities and then plan a treatment program that
directly addresses those deficits.
The
combination of physical therapy - strengthening vulnerable areas, correcting
problems - and podiatric intervention can make a significant difference!"
For more
information, please contact:
Gregory P.
Taylor, PT, DPT
Director of
Physical Therapy @Foot
Center of New York
Adjunct
Professor @New York College of Podiatric Medicine
gtaylor@nycpm.edu
