I wonder how many Seniors encounter stairs in their daily lives? Maybe the stairs are in their homes or they come across stairs entering the theatre or movie theatre. Maybe the stairs are at the entrance of a favorite restaurant or their community. Wherever our Seniors may face stairs or steps, they pose a serious risk for an unintended fall. There are several factors that can play a role in a successful or unsuccessful ascent or descent on stairs. Factors that include leg strength, confidence, vision and familiarity can all impact our Seniors in different ways. However, there can be a positive side to climbing stairs, especially in our heart rates, exertion (how hard is it for us to climb the stairs) and dynamic balance (balance while moving) (*5).
Leg strength is the most important of all of these factors because of their impact on so many activities. Things like how long we can walk, stand and the types of terrain we are able to navigate all depend on the strength of our legs. In fact, leg strength impacts other important systems in the body. If we can't stand or walk for a mentionable amount of time, how are we able to walk on a treadmill or do any type of meaningful cardiovascular exercise?
There was a recent study published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine regarding life longevity and the relationship to standing on one leg. The study found that "middle-aged people who can't stand on one leg for at least 10 seconds appear to be at higher risk of dying within a decade. (*3)" I have always used one's ability to stand on one leg as an indicator of leg strength. It is not the only evaluation of balance and strength that I use in my assessments. If you can stand up from a dinner table chair without using your arms or feeling the need to rock yourself, using the momentum the rocking creates, I would say your leg strength, in most cases, would be strong enough to navigate stairs easily.
Did you know that every 11 seconds, an older person is receiving treatment for a fall in the emergency room (*1). In addition, the isolation due to the pandemic increases the likelihood of a fall-related injury that results in a Senior being left in a position in which they fell for an extended period of time (*2).
It is important to consider all these factors I mentioned in the first paragraph as we age. It can impact where we live, where we vacation and what social activities we will enjoy as we age.
SOURCES:
*1: https://medalerthelp.org/blog/falls-in-the-elderly-statistics/
*2: https://saintsimeons.org/blog/the-latest-assisted-living-facts-and-statistics/
*3: This balancing exercise can determine how long you will live | Mint (livemint.com)
*4: https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-018-0958-1
*5: https://www.cdc.gov/falls/facts.html
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFZBCssysteSE_QDxsKa58w
Leg strength is the most important of all of these factors because of their impact on so many activities. Things like how long we can walk, stand and the types of terrain we are able to navigate all depend on the strength of our legs. In fact, leg strength impacts other important systems in the body. If we can't stand or walk for a mentionable amount of time, how are we able to walk on a treadmill or do any type of meaningful cardiovascular exercise?
There was a recent study published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine regarding life longevity and the relationship to standing on one leg. The study found that "middle-aged people who can't stand on one leg for at least 10 seconds appear to be at higher risk of dying within a decade. (*3)" I have always used one's ability to stand on one leg as an indicator of leg strength. It is not the only evaluation of balance and strength that I use in my assessments. If you can stand up from a dinner table chair without using your arms or feeling the need to rock yourself, using the momentum the rocking creates, I would say your leg strength, in most cases, would be strong enough to navigate stairs easily.
Did you know that every 11 seconds, an older person is receiving treatment for a fall in the emergency room (*1). In addition, the isolation due to the pandemic increases the likelihood of a fall-related injury that results in a Senior being left in a position in which they fell for an extended period of time (*2).
It is important to consider all these factors I mentioned in the first paragraph as we age. It can impact where we live, where we vacation and what social activities we will enjoy as we age.
SOURCES:
*1: https://medalerthelp.org/blog/falls-in-the-elderly-statistics/
*2: https://saintsimeons.org/blog/the-latest-assisted-living-facts-and-statistics/
*3: This balancing exercise can determine how long you will live | Mint (livemint.com)
*4: https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-018-0958-1
*5: https://www.cdc.gov/falls/facts.html
Check out our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFZBCssysteSE_QDxsKa58w
