Have you fallen recently or felt unstable? Fall injuries are one of the biggest risks as we age. Here are some sobering statistics:
Falls are the leading cause of death from injury among people 65 and older. And consist of approx 9,500 deaths per year
Risk of falls increases with age and is greater for women than men.
1/3 of people over 65 fall annually.
2/3 of those who fall will fall again within 6 months.
Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries.
In 2010, 2.3 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in emergency departments and more than 662,000 of these patients were hospitalized.
Maintaining strength and balance takes regular exercise. The challenge is that when you are unsteady, you avoid putting yourself in situations that put you at risk, so you continue to get worse.
Aquatic Therapy is a great option to improve balance in a safe, comfortable environment. Exercising in the water is helpful for many reasons:
Water causes buoyancy and reduces the stress on your feet, knees, and hips.
Water moves and "pushes" on the body increasing the balance challenges.
The water allows you to challenge yourself more as there is minimal risk to injury when balance is lost.
Pritchette Physical Therapy offers Aquatic Therapy to help improve your balance. Contact our office at 480-785-5415 to schedule your appointment.