Position yourself so that you are underneath the doorway facing the side (swap sides when needed)B Place the ball of yourB left foot against theB side of the doorwayB while your heel remains on the ground. Slowly and gently lean in while keeping your knee straight you can hold onto the wall for balance. Lean in as far as you can until you feel the stretch, hold this for 10-30 seconds then change sides.
Hip flexer Stretch
Kneel on right knee, with toes down, and place left foot flat on the floor in front of you, knee bent and aligned with ankle.
Press hips forward until you feel tension in the front of your right thigh.
Slightly arch your back while keeping your chin parallel to the ground.
Hold for 15 or more seconds, then switch sides
(You can find this and more of stretches under our education centre part of our website)
This is a great stretch to do at your desk while working or studying to release some of the neck tension some of us can feel after being in front of the computer for a bit too long.
Start by sitting straight in your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Extend you right arm along the side of the chair. Place your left hand on top of your head and slowly tilt head to the left. Apply gentle pressure for more of a stretch. Hold for 30 seconds then swap sides.
Falls PreventionB B B B B
Falls are an ominous yet very real part of life for people over 65 and many falls can be prevented once the causes are determined. Over 400 risk factors leading to falling have been identified including lack of physical activity resulting in loss of muscle tone, decreased bone mass, poor balance, and reduced flexibility; impaired vision, medications, disease including Parkinsonb s, dementia, stroke and arthritis, surgery, and environmental hazards.
The risk of falls and associated complications rise steadily with age and can be a marker of increasing frailty. Frailty is not clearly defined but is widely accepted to include a combination of weight loss, fatigue, reduced grip strength, diminished physical activity or slowed gait associated with increased risk of falls, hospitalisation, loss of mobility and independence, increasing disability and death.(2)
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has found that the number of elderly people who die each year from falls has quadrupled over the past decade. 1530 people over the age of 75 died from falls in 2011, compared to 365 in 2002. Falls are also the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisation in persons aged 65 years and over in Australia.B In 2011b 12, 96,385 people aged 65 and over were hospitalised for a fall-related injury. The increasing rate of fall-related hospital admissions reflects Australia’s ageing population. The number of fall-related hospitalisations for older people has increased 2.3% per year between 1999b 00 and 2010b 11.
A newly published trial has shown that 12 weeks of chiropractic care in a group of older patients resultedB in improvements in their sensory and motor functions that are important for falls risk, as well as improvementB in the physical component of quality of life. The study was conducted in New Zealand by researchers fromB the Centre for Chiropractic Research at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic, the University of Auckland,B and the University Of Ontario Institute Of Technology. The study was the main trial in chiropractic researcher Dr. Kelly Holtb s PhD. While Dr Holt has stated, b it is undeniable that this piece of research makes an important contribution to our understanding surrounding an important public health issue.b (3)
The study showed that compared with the control group:
This Randomized Controlled Trial shows that chiropractic can help improve function in older people, with a possible impact on their overall health and quality of life. We should encourage older adults to get checked!
B
Shoulder Rolls Stretch
Stretching your shoulders can feel good, especially for those of us who spend long hours hunched over a computer.