Falls are leading cause of injury deaths in senior citizens

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.

"Falls can be devastating to the quality of life," says Eric Johnson, associate professor of physical therapy at Loma Linda University. Just the fear of falling can cause seniors to curtail their activities, leading to a loss of their social networks that, in turn, can lead to depression, he says.

Fortunately, studies show that people can keep their balance skills sharp as they age -- even regain skills -- through balance training exercises.

To maintain balance, the brain integrates sensory input from three main sources: the eyes, the gravity-and motion-sensing vestibular system of the inner ear and the somatosensory system (controlling the ability to touch and feel via skin and joint receptors).

"As we age, the balance system slows down. This means that our feet don't feel the variations of the ground as quick, our reactions are a little slower, our muscles aren't as strong, and our brains do not process sensory information as quickly as needed," says Greg Cox, clinical director at the Balance Disorders Institute of Los Angeles, a rehabilitation center that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of balance disorders.

In addition, several maladies that become more common with age can affect balance. Cataracts or macular degeneration can weaken the visual system. A condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo can affect the vestibular system. This can cause a sense of spinning after a position change such as getting up from bed.