What is one of the biggest health fears for senior citizens? The dreaded broken hip! We all know or have heard of someone who fell and broke a hip, which then started the quick slide into physical decline and health issues.
Unfortunately, many shrug their shoulders and accept it as part of the aging process. However, we do not have to. According to UCI Health family medicine practitioner Elham Arghami, M.D., seniors need to strengthen their lower bodies to prevent falls. The best thing we can do to build that strength is to get in the habit of standing from a sitting position without the aid of our arms. On the other side of the coin, he also recommended sitting down without adding our arms. In other words, control your descent, do not just flop down into a sitting position.
If we get into that habit, we will do bodyweight squats throughout the day. Why is that important?
Squats strengthen an enormous amount of muscles in our core and lower body. They build strong buttocks, quads, hamstrings, and calves. The article “Health Benefits of Squats” explains the many benefits of squats. It only makes sense that the stronger our lower body is, the better we can deal with balance issues that lead to falls.
As we get older, many of us will develop balance issues. They can stem from high blood pressure, inner ear issues, and reactions to medication. The HeathinAging website estimates that falls resulting from loss of balance are the leading cause of injuries in people over the age of 65 and especially over 80. This includes fatal injuries.
So how do squats and standing up without using your arms tie in with balance issues? Consider this; we older adults do not have a monopoly on losing our balance. Young people lose their balance too. No matter their age, everyone can lose concentration and trip over area rugs, uneven pavement, roots, or even rocks on the road.
The big difference is that young people have more strength to catch themselves when they stumble and fall. Older people tend to lose that strength over the years, causing injuries.
In a perfect world, everyone, regardless of age, would go to the gym and work out a couple of times a week. Or have a set of weights in our basement that allows us to strengthen our bodies. However, this is not a perfect world. Some people have already reached a state where even one bodyweight squat is too much. Some have no desire to exercise and will take their chances. However, it does not have to be that way.
If you can sit and stand without using your arms for support, you are on the way to mitigating your risk of falls that can cause a broken hip. If you can get in the habit of folding your arms over your chest and controlling your descent into a chair or sofa, then folding them again as you stand back up, you will do one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself – squats.