Elderly Fall Prevention
With aging there is significant increased in unexplained fall; in some studies even up to 20-25 % persons above seventy years age. Such fall can be hazardous causing major bone injuries like hip fracture, or life threatening sub dural haematoma.
Senile Gait. This gait is caused by shortening and loss of elasticity of ligaments and tendons, and a stiffening of cartilage, muscle, and fascia as a result of the degenerative aging process. Steps are short, shuffling, and assumed in a stooped position if osteoporosis is present to cause a marked dorsal kyphosis. Whenever the passive range of joint motion is limited by structural changes, the compensatory pattern usually reflects an exaggerated motion at non-involved joints.
It is thereby important to check all known or silent factors causing gate instability and should not be taken easy. And accordingly therapeutic measures should be taken to make human motor- locomotion system in good health.
In this blog Dr Suresh Kumar Bansal has laid down the importance of saving an aged individual from fall (s).
Prevention of fall by the aged saves an individual from the disasters like spine, hip and fractures of the other bones including the skull. All these fractures anywhere in body lead to immobility for certain amount of time which further lead to dementia, chest infection, urinary infection, bed sores and many other complications. Keeping in view of these complications an early surgical intervention is required so that the aged individual is made mobile as early as possible.
Short steps, shuffling gait with tendency to fall forward could be because of associated Parkinsonism.