Latest / Staying Aligned with Dr. Kevin Hartung / Why Falls Become More Common With Age and How to Prevent Them

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Why Falls Become More Common With Age and How to Prevent Them · Staying Aligned with Dr. Kevin Hartung

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  Hey, welcome back. I'm Dr. Hartung, and you're
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  listening to the Family Chiropractic Center podcast
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  coming to you from right here in Robinson Township.
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  Today we're talking about something that I think
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  is really important. And honestly, it doesn't
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  get enough attention. We're talking about falls,
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  specifically why they become more common as we
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  get older and what you can actually do about
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  it. Now, here's the thing. A lot of people assume
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  that falling is just part of getting older. Like,
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  it's inevitable. And I want to push back on that
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  today. Because while the risk does go up with
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  age, that doesn't mean you're powerless. Not
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  even close. So let me break this down for you.
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  As we age, a few things start to shift in our
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  bodies. First, our balance system gets a little
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  less sharp. You've got this incredible network
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  working all the time to keep you upright. Your
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  inner ear, your eyes, and the tiny sensors in
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  your muscles and joints. Those sensors are called
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  proprioceptors, and they're constantly sending
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  signals to your brain about where your body is
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  in space. Over time, that signaling can slow
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  down. Your reaction time changes too, so when
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  you hit a slippery patch or trip on a rug, your
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  body just doesn't course correct as fast as it
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  used to. Here's what's interesting, and this
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  is where chiropractic really comes in. The spine
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  plays a huge role in that communication system.
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  When joints in your spine aren't moving the way
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  they should, it can actually interfere with those
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  proprioceptive signals. It's like trying to stream
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  a video with a bad connection. The information
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  is getting through, but it's choppy. Adjusting
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  the spine helps restore that communication, which
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  can genuinely improve your balance and coordination
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  over time. We see this in practice all the time.
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  The second big factor is muscle strength. As
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  we get older, we naturally lose muscle mass.
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  This process actually starts earlier than most
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  people think, around our 30s and 40s, and it
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  picks up pace after that. Weaker muscles in the
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  core, the hips and the legs mean less stability,
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  and less stability means more falls. Now for
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  the practical stuff, because that's really why
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  you're here. There are a few things you can start
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  doing today. First, work on your leg and core
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  strength. You don't need a gym membership. Simple
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  things like standing up from a chair without
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  using your hands or doing a slow heel -to -toe
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  walk down a hallway, those kinds of exercises
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  make a real difference. Second, take a look at
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  your home. Throw rugs, poor lighting, and cluttered
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  walkways are some of the most common culprits.
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  Remove what you can. Add some grab bars in the
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  bathroom if needed. These small changes save
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  lives. I mean that. Third, stay hydrated and
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  review your medications with your doctor. Certain
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  medications can cause dizziness or affect your
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  balance more than people realize. That's a conversation
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  worth having. And fourth, don't ignore your spine
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  and nervous system health. Regular chiropractic
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  care keeps your joints moving, supports that
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  proprioceptive communication we talked about,
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  and helps your body respond better to the unexpected
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  moments, like a curb you didn't see or a wet
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  floor. Now, when should you come see us? If you've
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  noticed you're feeling less steady on your feet,
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  if you've had a fall recently or even a close
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  call, that's your body telling you something.
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  Don't wait until after a serious injury. Come
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  in and let us take a look at how your spine is
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  functioning, how your posture is holding up,
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  and what we can do to help you feel more confident
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  and stable in your daily life. Falls are not
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  something you just have to accept. You have more
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  control here than you might think, and we want
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  to help you keep it. Thank you so much for tuning
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  in today. I really appreciate you spending a
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  few minutes with me. If you have questions or
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  you're ready to schedule a visit, reach out to
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  us at Family Chiropractic Center right here in
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  Robinson Township. We are always happy to help.
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  Take care of yourself, stay steady out there,
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  and I'll talk to you next time.