I can’t help it. When fall arrives (and it has struggled to get here this year), I can only think of one thing--fall prevention in seniors! A couple of weeks ago, I attended a workshop about exercise and osteoporosis. The speaker’s primary message was the importance of preventing falls, especially in seniors who may have osteopenia or osteoporosis.
She explained that while exercise is an important aspect of preserving or slowing down the process of bone loss, that’s not it’s primary role. Instead, regular exercise will improve your strength, flexibility, and balance, decreasing your risk of falling and breaking a bone.
A great place to start is with a daily walk. Walking is not only the simplest and most convenient form of weight bearing exercise, it also challenges your balance and strengthens important core and postural muscles. And if you walk outside with careful attention to safety over uneven surfaces, you’ll get a healthy dose of Vitamin D--another recommendation from experts in this field.
So, as if we needed one more reason to hit the trail or head to the gym, my advice is to GET on your FEET to STAY on your feet!
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