How to Prevent Yourself from a Fall, Trip, or Slip - Susiri Weerasekara

 Forwarded with my additions below it.

jksw

Increased Risk of Fall Accident Begins at Age 40  by: Junji Takano   People begin to have balance problems starting at the age of 40 years. The older you get, the weaker your physical body and sensory abilities will be, which are all factors in having poor balance. In Japan, more than 7,000 people a year die from falling accidents ## Test Your Balance by Standing on One Leg You can determine how good your balance is by measuring the length of time that you can stand on one leg. The following table shows the average balance time by age group in a study conducted at a Japanese health institute. Average time with eyes open 20-39 years old: 110 seconds 40-49: 64 seconds50-59: 36 seconds 60-69: 25 seconds Average time with eyes closed 20-39 years old: 12 seconds 40-49: 7 seconds50-59: 5 seconds 60-69: less than 3 seconds women tend to lose their balance more than men but only by a small margin (1-2%). From this study, it is also evident that there's a sudden significant decrease in the ability to maintain balance among middle-aged people (40 years and above). ## The Soles of Your Feet Have Sensors The skins all throughout your body have significant amount of tiny pressure sensors or mechanoreceptors. Some areas have few pressure sensors, while other areas have thousands, like on the soles of your feet. The pressure sensors on the foot soles provide information to your brain to help balance your body.  As you get older, the sensors will get weaker and your foot sole lose sensitivity. But there are also other factors that can lead to weaker pressure sensors. ## Poor Blood Circulation Can Disrupt the Pressure Sensors In our study, people are almost twice as likely to be in a fall accident caused by poor blood circulation. This can be simulated by soaking your feet into ice cold water for about 3 minutes. Because of the cold temperature, the pressure sensors on the foot sole begin to lose sensitivity. ## Pay Attention to Your Forward-Moving Foot If your forward-moving foot hit something, your body will be off-balance causing you to fall or trip. Well, it's a matter of common sense to always have your eyes on path and watch where you are going. But that's not the only problem. Here are the other two major reasons why you stumble while walking. 1. Your forward-moving foot is pointed down. If your foot is pointed down while making a step, then you are more prone to falling. To avoid this, your forefoot or toes should be flexed upwards as shown on the image below. 2. You walk like a pendulum. The height of your step can greatly increase your risk of falling. To prevent this, your forward-moving foot must be higher off the ground (at least 5 cm) while the knee is raised high as shown on the image below. A bit highstepping is good. ## How to Prevent Yourself from a Fall, Trip, or Slip 1. Keep Your House Clean . Always make sure to put away or store properly all personal belongings and other unnecessary things even if it is only a newspaper, remote control, and laundries scattered on the floor or carpet. 2. Stretch Your Feet and Ankles Foot exercising is good. in reality, feet stretching exercise can really help your feet maintain balance. 3. Keep Your House Warm and Ensure Adequate Lighting Cold muscles and pressure sensors work less well and are less responsive to signals. A decreased temperature will also cause your muscles to have less strength and less flexible, which can lead to accidents. Always try to keep your house warm or wear proper clothes and footwear, especially during winter. Since most falls occur indoors, make sure your house has adequate lighting. Free newsletter: http://www.pyroenergen.com/newsletter.htm ------------------------------------------------------------  And now for senior Sri Lankans, counting ladies in their 50s. Walk often, often on grass, barefoot is preferred. Toning up your balance and foot senses. Wearing glasses decrease range of vision, especially down below near your feet, and stepping downstairs. Note down your ‘blind’ areas. Watch out for wet floors, especially toilets and bathrooms. Older people need non slip floors- not tiles- and a few hand rails around help. In humid climes, water dries up slowly. Try to have both hands free walking stairs. One hand on railing. Beware slipping, crumply carpets. If in doubt, sit on bed as you pull your underwear, socks on. Sooner or later you will need to. Beware cats and dogs and  animals like children who may bash into you. Think of having taller chair seating, avoiding deep low suites. Getting off a low car seat could be tricky. When on unfamiliar ground or house floor, take care. Beware varying floor levels in the same house, or as you walk on roads. At night in the dark, a quick first step off the bed  can cause a fall, the mosquito net may trip you too. Keep a small torch. Walking on roads without pavements can be tricky. Potholes are common. A sudden beach wave you could tackle when young at the beach may be a disaster. Be aware, that your muscle/bone strength is far less than at say 30 years. Be aware that as you age the muscles around bones thin down, reducing your muscle padding effect, making even mild bone/floor contact prone to more factures, like falling to a side. And lastly, don’t ever sleep walk or get chased by a leopard. jksw