Living a healthy and independent life is something we hope for as we start to grow older. A young individual may think nothing of climbing up or down a flight of stairs and will most likely labeled this as a mundane task. If you consider an older individual, then this task of climbing or descending a flight of stairs might offer a significant challenge. Additionally, these individuals may fear for their own safety, because falls are common among older adults hindering their ability to remain self-sufficient. Everyone falls down, some famous fallers include Barbara Walters, Kelsey Grammer, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls.” These falls are the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and often result in hospital admissions for trauma.” Some common injuries that occur as result of falling for an older individual include fractures to the hip, spine, hand and lower extremities. As a result of falling, these individuals generally start to worry about their safety and begin to limit their activities. This leads to a lack of fitness and in actuality will increase their risk of falling. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, “over 95% of hip fractures are caused by falls.”
If you or someone that you know has suffered from a fracture or other injury from a fall, it is recommend that you have an evaluation with a physiatrist who specializes in non-surgical orthopedic rehabilitation medicine in combination with a licensed physical therapist to ensure a high recovery rate. Physical therapy will initially focus on range of motion and strengthening exercises so that the individual may once again perform their routine tasks without any limitations
Cross Bay Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, located in Howard Beach, NY is an excellent facility to consider in your recovery because we have a physical therapy department that specializes in fall prevention, orthopedic injuries, spine disorders, sports injuries, arthritis, post-surgical rehabilitation, Neurological disorders such as Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease, difficulty with walking and balance along with osteoporosis. Our physical therapy staff has experienced, licensed Doctors of Physical Therapy and physical therapy assistants who are compassionate and provide excellent quality care. All patients will receive one on one treatment with state of the art equipment and we look forward to helping you get back on your feet.