What do a bouncy 14-month-old and a drunken sailor have in common? Sooner or later, they are going to fall… and so are you! It is inevitable; unless you curl up on the couch for the rest of your life, you are going to lose your balance and fall. Even if you possess the grace of a stork on one leg or the agility of a Wallenda walking the line, unforeseen hazards like slick floors, stealthy patches of ice, mischievous bumps in the sidewalk, or Fluffy’s chew can still pose a threat.
Given that the prospect of taking a fall is practically unavoidable, the question becomes: What can we do to improve our chances of remaining upright? Surprisingly, the answer lies in practicing falling. Now, before you lock me in a padded room, hear me out.
Our younger generation, God help them, loses their balance exponentially more than active seniors. However, they do not fall nearly as much, and when they do fall, the repercussions are significantly less damaging. What gives? Of course, we can always point the finger at too many revolutions around the sun, but what specifically?
A look under the hood reveals that as we age, communication or the velocity of our nerves can slow down. The message that we lost our balance is delayed, slowing the reaction response. Those lost milliseconds are all the difference between an embarrassing stumble and a broken hip.
This is where the rubber meets the road; we need to knock the dust off those stolid maturing nerves and teach them how to be unapologetically sassy. When we deliberately, but safely, repetitively practice moving our center of gravity outside of our base of support and then return to the starting position, we hone in on enhancing nerve velocity, increasing the reaction time.
If you are free from pain and do not have any exercise contraindications, this little dandy of an exercise could potentially prevent a broken hip, head trauma, or even death. I call it (forgive me) “Gracefally.”
- Stand in front of your bed with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lean forward until you feel like you’re about to fall onto your bed.
- Experience the discomfort and then return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise sideways and backward, ensuring the bed is ready to catch you.
Here is a link to a video demonstration:
https://youtu.be/d34sCXSPQlg
As you progress, increase the speed and incorporate steps in different directions. Dedicate just 5 minutes, 3–4 days a week to this practice, and you’ll not only feel the stability benefits but also observe improvements in other activities.
Some say it is not how many times you fall, but rather how many times you get up. I argue it is not how many times you fall, but rather how many times you do not have to get up.
Lighting the Way, Erik
Erik Lehane, the visionary behind the Gaitway Group (thegaitwaygroup.com), introduces a groundbreaking approach to enhance the lives of active seniors with his innovative Revolutionary Exercise 180. For inquiries, feel free to reach out to Erik via email at erik@eriklehane.com.
