Tag Archives: falls

Ritalin may Help Prevent Falls

You may be familiar with Ritalin (methylphenidate) because of its use in treating hyperactivity… but a recent study took a look at other benefits the drug might have. The Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University held a study on the effects of Ritalin in older adults. Twenty-six healthy, independently living seniors participated in the study. Some were given a placebo; some were given Ritalin (or a generic equivalent). The seniors were given a fall screening test before and after the drugs were administered. The test required participants to: Rise from a sitting position Walk ten feet (approximately three … Continue reading →

Falls and Brain Injury

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Breaking a hip isn’t the only thing to fear when an older adult has an unintentional fall. Brain injury can cause long-term problems, affect how a person functions, and even impact emotional well-being! Some unpleasant statistics from a U.S. Centers for Disease Control study: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from a fall resulted in nearly 8,000 deaths in seniors and more than 50,000 hospitalizations in 2005. The death and hospitalization rates for TBI increase as age increases. The average hospital stay for an older adult with a fall-related TBI is four days. The average cost of a hospital stay for an … Continue reading →

Prevent Falls with Yoga

Research from Temple University’s Gait Study Center suggests that practicing a specific type of yoga can help prevent falls in women over the age of sixty-five. The Temple University study looked at participants in an Iyengar yoga program specifically designed for senior citizens who had little or no previous yoga experience. Why Iyengar yoga? The technique uses props like belts and blocks to help participants master poses gradually. Participants often feel more confident and comfortable working with the props. The class covered the most basic moves and techniques with an emphasis on proper breathing, stances, and poses. After nine weeks … Continue reading →

The Fracture Triangle

You’ve probably heard of the Bermuda Triangle… but have you heard of the Fracture Triangle? Your likelihood of breaking a bone after a fall is determined by three things: The fall itself The force and direction of the fall (how hard you fall, and what you fall on) The fragility of the bones that take the impact Falls are serious at any age, and breaking a bone after a fall becomes more likely as you age. Often there is a link between breaking a bone and osteoporosis — a disease involving the loss of bone tissue or bone density. If … Continue reading →

Falls Are a Leading Cause of Death in the Elderly

For men and women over the age of 65, the leading cause of injury-related death is falls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the death rate attributable to falls in the elderly rose by more than 55% from 1993 through 2003. The problem is, not only have the death rates due to falls grown, they have surpassed the injury rates related to falls. Part of the problem is related to the longevity of modern life. More and more often, we are living to an age when our bodies are frailty can mean a fall is … Continue reading →

Don’t Fall–Tips to Avoid a Medical Claim Because of A Ladder!

: I am constantly telling my family I don’t have the time to visit the Emergency Room, and there is no time of the year I mean this more then the holiday season. Really, the last thing any of us want to be doing during this time of the year is sitting and waiting to be seen at the hospital for an avoidable accident. Your health care insurance would rather not pay a claim for a preventable injury it just makes a lot of extra paperwork, stress and costs for everyone involved. An estimated 164,000 people end up in the … Continue reading →

Preventing Falls and Fractures

Once you reach your forties and fifties, your body’s bone production slows down. You may be starting to lose more bone than you are regrowing! If your bone density is decreasing, you are at risk for serious injuries from a simple fall. So what can you do to prevent falls and fractures? In the bathroom: use a rubber bath mat in the shower or tub. Install grab bars in the shower or tub to help you get in and out safely. Pick non-skid bath mats. Soak up extra water outside the tub or shower so you don’t slip. Around the … Continue reading →

When Baby Falls – Trust Your Instincts

It’s a pretty safe bet to say that every baby and/or toddler falls at least once within the first few years of life. It’s likely also a safe bet to say that most fall much more than once. When my first child (my son) began standing, he fell occasionally. Once, he fell into the leg of our kitchen table and cut his upper lip. Once he even managed to wriggle to standing in his high chair at the age of two and fell out of it…in a matter of seconds. My daughter once fell and hit the front of her … Continue reading →