Articles

Breaking the Fear of Falling

By: Eric Fredrickson

It is difficult, but not impossible, to break “the fear of falling”. Key to improving the situation is to maintain and, if possible, improve your overall fitness. Without having confidence in your physical condition, it is difficult to overcome the fear of falling. But remember that it’s never too late to improve your fitness level, even if you are not very physically fit at the outset. There is every reason to be hopeful at any age and in any physical condition that you can improve things and thereby decrease your risk of falling.

Stories abound about people who have suffered serious injury from a fall or have allowed themselves to become very frail through lack of exercise and yet have become energized and active again. One of these stories appeared in the health section of the New York Times several years ago.

Alice was a frail, 93 year old woman who hadn’t been out of her bed for four years. She often said, “I’m really just waiting to die”.

Her niece Bev arrived unannounced one day to check up on her because Bev hadn’t heard from her in a long time. Bev was appalled at Alice’s condition. As Bev had a background in physiotherapy, she decided to try some restorative activities.

Bev began by having her aunt bend her legs for three or four minutes while lying in bed, three or four times a day. After a few weeks of this activity, Bev got Alice to sit up on the edge of the bed and start moving her legs slowly up and down in a marching motion. Bev also managed to get Alice to lift small cans of soup with each hand on a regular basis.

After a month or so, Bev helped her aunt to stand and try a short walk across the room to the far wall and back again. This continued for several months until, to Bev’s delight, Alice managed to walk unaided down the stairs holding tightly to the railing. After several weeks of watching Alice going up and down the stairs unaided, Bev had to go back to her job.

Bev visited again six months later to find Alice a changed woman. She was happier and not talking about dying any more. In fact, she was going shopping for food, and asked her niece if there was anything she wanted from the nearby store.

Was this magic? No, but it seemed like it. The fact of the matter is that the human body and brain can regain physical vigor and acuity through appropriate activity at any age, no matter what their condition. Unfortunately, we don’t all have a wonderful niece like Bev, but you can do the things that Alice did to start your voyage back to heath and vitality.

Regular and appropriate physical activity is the “magic” that can help you restore your body to an improved physical condition; in turn it will stimulate your brain and restore your confidence and desire to live a more active and productive life.