How lockdown is setting us up for a fall

Our balance is now starting to suffer from our 30s, say the experts. Sharon Walker looks at the contributing factors

When did you last fall over? It’s something we associate with the sunset years, but experts are warning the fall rate is rising sharply among midlifers, with increasingly sedentary lifestyles making us less steady on our feet.

Balance begins to decline from the age of 30, and from the age of 50 we become more vulnerable to falling, says Prof Dawn Skelton of Glasgow Caledonian University.

“We all fall throughout our lives, but the problems come when we start to fall when we shouldn’t and more importantly we’re seeking medical attention as a result,” she adds.

“Falls used to start to be a problem at the age of 65, but in the last 20 years we’ve seen that creep earlier and earlier. Now more people in their late 40s and early 50s are seeking medical help because of falls.” Research suggests the fall rate in the 40-plus age group is up by as much as 20 per cent on the previous generation.

One US study found fatal falls are rising sharply for those aged 45-64, jumping by 44 per cent between 1999 and 2007.

We’re seeing more serious injuries as a result, says Prof Skelton. “People are starting to fall and break their wrists in their 40s, when it used to be the 60s.

“It used to be that hips started breaking at 75-80 but now, in certain deprived areas of Glasgow, we are seeing hip fractures in the late 50s.” Experts believe that the fault lies in our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, with problems being set up in childhood.

“Sport has become an optional extra rather than something that’s embedded in our school life,” says Prof Skelton.

“There’s also a big difference in activity outside school. When I was young you’d come in from school, dump your bag and go out. Now it’s more common to sit on devices.

“Balance is something that we learn unconsciously when we’re

improving your diet have been proven to be effective for those with mild depression.

In more serious cases, cognitive behavioural therapy or antidepressant medications will help, says Dr Gary Howsam, vice-chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Roberts says his favourite exercise for stress busting is tennis. “It’s social, it’s competitive if you want it to be, and it’s cardiovascular – it ticks all the boxes.”

Back

Back pain is one of the biggest causes of working days lost, and tends to start between the ages of 40 and 60. Major causes include spinal stenosis where the spaces between your spine shrink, putting pressure on the nerves, spondylolisthesis – friction between the lower vertebrae and the bones beneath – and degenerative changes. All are related to ageing.

What to do about it: “Antiinflammatory analgesics and/or some muscle relaxants might work in the short term but it’s a misconception that back pain can resolve itself,” says Dr Brian Hammond, CEO of Backcare.

Looking after your core is crucial for preventing back pain – and indeed all other joint pain, says Roberts. Try the bird/dog exercise – on your hands and knees, raise your left arm and right leg, then tuck them underneath you, and switch to raising your right arm and left leg.

“This strengthens the core and works well for the middle and lower back.”