No matter what is going on around us the seasons are still coming. In this time of social distancing and limited contact, it is important to get moving and if possible get outside Walking clears your head and helps your creative side and most importantly improves your mental health. However, be prepared – winter is here and with it comes slips and falls. Falls with or without injury carry a heavy impact on your quality of life. The most profound effect of falling is the loss of confidence and/or independent living. Therefore, people may stop doing things that have kept them active. However, staying active needs to overcome your fear of falling.
Move and strengthen – Many falls are caused by muscle weakness. Exercise is very important. If you don’t want to participate in a group setting then do it at home. I met a man that had lost a lot of muscle in his upper legs quickly. After talking to him, we discovered that after moving from his home to an apartment he no longer did stairs multiple times a day or general outdoor activity. Although a small thing to some, he was doing very little in his new home to keep those muscles strong.
Stabilize your feet – Whether inside or out – if you are unstable consider your shoes; high heels, floppy slippers, slick soles can make you feel unstable and make you stumble and fall. Sensible shoes and/or orthotics will not only make you more stable but may also reduce joint pain. Make sure you have boots with good traction if you are going outside; otherwise, it is like driving with bald tires!
Stabilize your Knees – Unfortunately, as time goes by your knee joints are the first joints to wear and you may have osteoarthritis or kneecap pain. This causes instability and weakness leading to falling. Consider a knee brace that will help with the redistribution of forces away from the area of degeneration.
At Soles in Motion, we want to make you happy and pain-free from the feet up. Did you know we have two Canadian Certified Pedorthists, Graham and J, as well as, Jen and Chris, Bracing Specialists, who would love to see you? There is no charge for our appointments and we will educate you on how we can help. We will also introduce you to Albert, our 3D scanner, who will tell you all about your feet and measure your feet to make sure you get the proper shoes. Drop in or give us a call at 902-468-7911
Submitted by Jen Estabrooks, Owner, Bracing Specialist
