Avoid Orthopedic Injuries
Posted on September 30, 2013 by bob in Moving Free
This picture is real. My husband took it a few years ago. That’s me unable to lower my arm without passing out. I’m on the phone with my orthopedist. Such injuries are a real drag. This one took me three months to recover.
Nobody wants to grow old, least of all boomers, but we’re turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 a day and will be for the next 17 years. We’re running scared, desiring longevity but frightened of losing our mobility and independence, so we try to stay active, or get active, to avoid decrepitude. With so many older bodies on the move, orthopedic injuries are on the rise.
Orthopedic injuries are common. We overuse our bodies, or use them wrong, and in doing so break hips and legs and get strains and sprains, whether at home, work or playing sports. No matter how active we’ve been, our bodies are not the same as they were when we were younger. They’ve got miles on them, and like vintage cars it’s not wise to drive them flat out. Those of us who’ve used our bodies for a living know we’ve had to make adjustments for our aging muscles and joints. Many of us are favoring old injuries that have left those body parts weakened and vulnerable.
We may be nursing overuse injuries from repetitive actions, including back problems from years of standing all day, shoulder issues from years of manual labor, or carpal tunnel syndrome from constant mouse pushing. But it doesn’t have to take years. Raking leaves, shoveling snow or playing tennis all weekend when you’re out of shape can be an express ticket to Overuse-Ville. And being overweight puts extra stress on your musculoskeletal system.
Every day we run for the bus or the phone, load groceries in the car, pick up children or pets. Each carries a risk factor, but luckily for most of us these injuries are usually limited to a pull or sprain. But falls, broken bones and dislocated limbs do occur, as do heart attacks and worse because we’re not fit enough for the activity we’re engaged in. Being inactive and overweight adds to the risk factors. A simple fitness and weight management program may be what you need to help prevent orthopedic injuries during everyday activities. Such a program often includes strength training, cardio conditioning and core training, as well as some proprioceptive exercises to help avoid falls.
Falls are the number one cause of injury death in people over 65. One in three people 65+ experience a fall each year. And poor proprioception – not knowing where your body is in space – is a leading cause of falls. Proprioception degrades with age, but proprioceptive exercise can slow that down and help prevent falls. Add exercises like Tai Chi and balancing exercises to your fitness routine. They feel great to do and can help keep you vertical into old age.
Mirabai Holland M.F.A., a leading authority in the Health & Fitness industry and a public health activist, specializes in preventive and rehabilitative exercise. Her Moving Free® approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn’t feel like work (www.mirabaiholland.com).
