Leg strength and balance

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the number one cause of injury death among Americans 65 and over.  Falls are also the leading cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma.  And among older adults falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries as well as fractures of the spine, hip, forearm, leg, ankle, pelvis, upper arm, and hand. 
   Now there are lots of reasons why older adults may fall, including medications, faulty vision, cluttered living spaces, and the like.  Yet one of the most common reasons is something that's very much under our control: poor leg strength.  But there's more.  According to the physical therapist who has managed to keep my body parts intact throughout the first half of 2012, leg strength and balance are virtually two sides of the same coin.  Work on one, and you're improving the other.  And even if balance deteriorates with age, you can compensate to a large extent by keeping your legs in top condition.
   If you're a martial artist you already know that leg strength and balance are essential ingredients of your training.  But if you have never participated in the martial arts, maybe it's time to consider the powerful health benefits that can come with the study of taekwondo, karate, kung fu, or basically any martial art you can name.  Very early in my own training an instructor once said that a martial artist should have better balance on one foot than everyone else has on two.  Well, I think that's a bit of a stretch, but the underlying sentiment is sound.  The martial arts train you to remain upright and under control.
   Every kick you execute strengthens both the kicking leg and the supporting leg, but it also forces you to remain upright in a rather odd position.  The more you train, the less odd the kicking position feels.  And at some point you may find yourself executing spinning kicks, which naturally ratchet up the need for balance.  After all, you can't execute a spinning kick properly if you fall down every time you try, right?
   So if aging well is a high priority for you, either get active or stay active in the martial arts.  Scout out schools in your area, and find a senior-friendly environment in which to train.  What to look for in a "senior-friendly" martial arts school will be the topic of our next post.
   In the meantime, for more information on the problem of falls among older Americans, visit www.cdc.gov.