Healthy Feet Reduces Fall Risk
According to statistics, every year approximately 25% of the senior adult population experiences a fall. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the number one cause of injuries and death from injury. This is because as you get older, painful foot conditions such as complications from diabetes, osteoarthritis, hammertoes, bunions, and more make it difficult to maintain balance and coordination.
If you or a loved one is having difficulty maintaining balance and coordination, in-home care may help. Gentle Shepherd Home Care in Colorado Springs offers a wide variety of elderly care services including medical care to keep your feet healthy.
The basis for an effective fall prevention plan should be foot health. In this article, we’ll offer some tips for keeping your feet healthy so that you can perform exercises to reduce other risk factors associated with falls.
5 Tips to Maintain Foot Health to Improve Balance
Below are 5 tips that can help you maintain foot health to improve your balance and coordination:
Never ignore pain
While some aches and pains can be expected as you age, foot pain is not always simply a normal consequence of aging. If your feet are hurting, do not ignore the pain. You may have a treatable condition. In order to get a diagnosis and treatment, you’ll need to schedule an appointment with a foot and ankle surgeon.
Examine your feet
You are responsible for your health, which means regular DIY foot examinations are critical. If you are unable to examine your own feet, have a loved one do it for you. The first time you or anyone else notices lumps, bumps, or other issues with your feet, schedule an appointment with a foot and ankle surgeon.
Exercise
You can relieve some of the pain, as well as improve strength and mobility in your feet and ankles with simple stretching exercises. Discuss appropriate exercises with your medical provider.
Protect your feet
Talk to your medical provider about options for special footwear, insoles, or other padding for your shoes to protect your feet.
Be flexible
While it may not be the ideal solution, sometimes surgery is the best option for your condition. The good news is that most foot surgeries are outpatient procedures, which means you’ll be back home the same day to recover.
Talk to Your Medical Provider about Fall Prevention
A fall has the potential to permanently change your life. However, there are things you can do to improve your balance and coordination. Speak with your medical provider about fall prevention tips. They will be able to help you understand ways that you can improve your balance and prevent falls.
If you are in need of in-home care for your loved one to support them and prevent falls or to assist in recovery after a fall, call Gentle Shepherd Home Care. We are located in Colorado Springs. Our caregivers provide a variety of elderly care services.
