Almost a third of people over 65 and half of people over 80 experience a fall at least once a year, and winter is the most dangerous period due to ice and weather conditions. Geriatrician at the Russian Gerontological Research and Clinical Center, Russian National Research Medical University named after. N.I. Pirogova of the Russian Ministry of Health Alisa Gotina on January 18, in a conversation with Izvestia, listed the ten most common reasons why older people fall.
The first reason is muscle weakness. A person is “not supported by his legs,” that is, there is not enough strength in the muscles of the limbs to prevent a fall. Therefore, regular physical activity is necessary to train the muscles. In addition, you should eat well and consume enough protein, as this is a building material for muscle tissue, the expert advises.
“The second reason is impaired gait and balance. This condition develops with age and is associated with various chronic diseases (pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, neurological disorders). Gait and balance disorders affect from 10% of people aged 60-69 years to more than 60% of people over 80 years of age. Therefore, it is very important to keep your chronic diseases under control and visit your doctor on time. If gait is severely impaired, it is better to use mobility aids – a cane or walker,” Gotina said.
The third reason is osteoporosis (a disease in which bone tissue is destroyed). It occurs without significant symptoms, and its first sign is a fracture with even a minor injury. The most serious and life-threatening is a fracture of the femoral neck. The disease itself increases the risk of falls due to the body's loss of calcium. It is important to identify this disease in time and begin treatment. At an early stage, osteoporosis can be diagnosed using densitometry, the doctor warned.
“Tingling sensation in the legs,” numbness, changes in sensitivity, unpleasant and painful sensations in the legs, leading to limitation of daily activities. These may be signs of diabetes. If such symptoms occur, you need to check the level of glucose and glycated hemoglobin in the blood or consult your doctor,” the specialist said.
Falls can also be caused by certain medications, taking five or more medications daily per day. Certain drugs (psychotropic, sedatives) can cause dizziness and weakness. Self-administration of medications for hypertension can also lead to a sharp decrease in blood pressure and a drop. In addition, when taking different medications at the same time, unwanted side effects may occur that increase the risk of falling.
“The sixth reason is decreased vision and hearing. Sensory deficits limit the perception of the environment; a person may not see an obstacle in his path or may not hear about approaching danger. Therefore, it is important to correct them in time with the help of properly selected glasses and hearing aids. The seventh is pain syndrome, pain in joints and muscles. About 27–86% of older adults suffer from chronic pain. This can be pain of various origins in the back, joints, limbs and other parts of the body. Chronic pain is accompanied by a decrease in physical and functional activity and requires long-term treatment,” the doctor said.
Depression and apathy entail a decrease in physical and functional activity in an elderly person, which is a risk factor for falls. Therefore, it is important to consult a specialist in time – a psychologist or psychiatrist. Depression that occurs in old age is often the first symptom of onset dementia, Gotina noted.
“The last reason is improper arrangement of everyday life. The space in the house should be organized so that an elderly person can move freely around it. It is necessary to remove unstable objects and cords from the path, secure carpets and rugs, provide sufficient lighting in rooms and corridors, it is better to install handrails in the bathroom and lay anti-slip mats,” the doctor concluded.
Last November, nutritionist-endocrinologist Anton Polyakov urged older people to eat more fish. He explained that they need protein, but they need to get it from the right foods. For example, from fish, seafood and poultry, but it is better to avoid red meat.
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