The elderly often succumb to falls which cause a head injury or hip fracture. From a chiropractic perspective, improved gait habits such as a longer stride and improved body movement as we walk improves stability. Often these problems develop over months and years beginning as foot pain, knee pain or hip pain which are actually symptoms related to poor core stability which can over time destroy a hip, knee or spinal joint we see as arthritis later in life. Improve these problems with better advice and better care earlier in life and improve how you feel and function later in life. As one of the last of the baby boomers in his mid 60’s, I see so many of my friends who have ignored problems such as back pain and knee pain and now have a prescription box labeled Mon-Saturday. We have all seen these and some people have four or more medications for different problems in their bodies. According to the NY Times in a recent article, one of the biggest causes of falls may be medications. Some drugs have falls as a known side effect and many seniors are so heavily medicated that it affects their balance and stability. Benzodiazepines, opioids, antidepressants and gabapentin; drugs that act on the central nervous system can cause dizziness and drowsiness. According to the article, problematic drugs are numerous enough to have acquired an acronym: FRIDs, or “fall risk increasing drugs,” a category that also includes various cardiac medications and early antihistamines like Benadryl. When compared to other countries that take less drugs than we do in the USA, they have fewer problems. We in the USA have a drug consumption problem due to the over prescription of drugs that may not be good for anyone’s health if they reduce one risk but increase the risk of a lethal fall. Check out the NY Times article below. For better gait and better mechanical function in our bodies, see a chiropractor. For an analysis of what drugs we need and which we don’t, consult your pharmacist and then your prescribing doctor. Less is always better. Always consider the benefits vs. the risks before taking medications. Why Are More Older People Dying After Falls?