Balance Training in Elderly can Reduce Falls

The Sept 15, 2010 issue of the New York Times reports that balance training for the elderly can greatly reduce falls. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that most falls among the elderly are caused by a decline in balance and unintentional falls among those 65 and older are responsible for more than 18,000 deaths and nearly 450,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States. Strength and flexibility of the bones and soft tissue comprise one key component in being able to maintain balance, in addition to the ability to sense where one's arms, legs or other parts of the body are without looking at them, and an intact nervous system. According to Dr. David Thurman, neurologist with the center and a spokesman for the American Academy of Neurology, "all of these tend to degrade with age, particularly as people move into their seventh and eighth decades." Yet, unlike many effects of aging, balance can be improved, and the age-related declines can be delayed or minimized with proper training. It has been noted that strength and balance training can reduce falls by up to 50%. Marodyne's LIV Tablet has been utilized with promising results for the improvement of stability in the elderly, by promoting strength of the bones and maintenance of muscle mass necessary to achieve balance and postural stability.