Falling.
Not a bad thing when you’re young. You get yourself
up, dust yourself off, and start all over again. But when you get older,
falling is more menacing: risk of hip fracture, broken bones, slower healing.
Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC knows this and encourages its La Grande patients and
friends to be careful and be aware of skills to prevent falls. One of the best
skills to prevent falling is good posture.
But, first, what makes falling such a danger in need of
prevention? Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC offers these statistics:
Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries
in older folks. (1)- 1 in 3 of those over 65 years falls each year. (1)
- Falls cost $30 billion in direct medical fees. (1)
- The most common fractures due to falls are to the spine,
hip, forearm, leg, ankle, pelvis, upper arm and hand. (1)
- More than 95% of hip fractures are due to falling. (2)
- Women suffer 75% of all falls (2), but more men die from hip
fractures due to falls (1).
- Many develop a fear of falling which limits their activity.
(1)
So how many older La Grande people do you know who
have fallen? Probably a few. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC takes care of many
La Grande patients and loved ones after a fall and finds these folks
much more cautious. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC encourages them to keep moving, check for
and treat any osteoporosis risk there may be, and boost calcium and vitamin D
intake to improve bone health as much as possible. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC sees itself
as a member of the team to prevent falls.
A new research report Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC just came across
discusses the importance of good posture in the prevention of falling. Good
posture lends itself to good balance which reduces the chance of falling. (3)
A flexed forward posture in which the head leans forward and the upper back
curves to some extent disrupts your center of mass. Such curvature of the spine may even be
due to past vertebral fractures. Whatever the cause, this posture forces you to
lean forward awkwardly, setting you up for a fall. (3) Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC’s
chiropractic spinal manipulation may help correct this. With gentle, safe spinal
manipulation, your La Grande chiropractic physician - your La Grande back pain specialist - helps improve
mobility in the upper spine and potentially reset your balance.
La Grande chiropractic care with Cox Technic and
simple exercise and basic supplementation may reduce your fear of falling and even
improve your posture when walking. Just a discussion between you and your La Grande
chiropractor to increase your awareness about your environment and its risks
for falling is beneficial. Contact Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC to set up your next
chiropractic visit as a step toward better posture and reduced fall risk.