Desert Springs Physical Therapy - Silver City, NM

Exercises that build strength and flexibility can help minimize the debilitating spills that come from advanced age.

THOUGH THE wisdom that comes with age can help navigate metaphorical bumps in the road of life, actual, physical obstacles can cause stumbles and falls. Increasingly, to combat a natural loss of balance that comes with the passing years, many people are turning to balance training classes.

About one-third of Americans age 65 and older fall each year – roughly 12 million people. Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma in senior citizens.

More than 90% of the 352,000 hip fractures that occur each year are the result of falls, and such fractures can be catastrophic. According to government statistics, only one-quarter of such patients make a full recovery, 40% will require at least temporary nursing home care, and 24% of hip fracture patients over the age of 50 die within 12 months.

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