Chiropractic Care In Older Adults
CHIROPRACTIC care is not only a safe and effective option for aging adults, but it is an ESSENTIAL CORNERSTONE OF HEALTHY AGING and LONGEVITY!
Let’s talk about falls!!
As we age, our risk of falling increases. Every year, 1/3 of the aging population experiences a fall. If you didn’t know, Falls are the LEADING cause of injury-related hospital admissions and deaths in older folks.
The part of our brain responsible for communicating joint position and movement is the Cerebellum. This part is stimulated or regulated by the normal, healthy movement of the joints in our spine and extremities. By restoring and maintaining healthy joint mobility, the cerebellum can more effectively receive and send information to our limbs, improving balance, stability, and coordination. Pretty impressive, right?
I recently came across a few studies that measured these variables and thought I would share them with you. A New Zealand study explored the role of brain function in preventing falls. Half of the participants in the study received three months of chiropractic care, and the other half did not. Researchers used a measure called “choice stepping reaction time,” which gets participants to stand on panels that light up. When the panels light up, you’re instructed to stand on the light as quickly as possible.
After 12 weeks, researchers found a DRAMATIC improvement in the chiropractic group compared to the control. In addition, findings also demonstrated improvements in the chiropractic group to be 2.5 times GREATER than a large clinical trial that looked at six months of exercise on the same stepping task.
What can we take from this information? Well, we know that if you can take a quicker step, you’re less likely to fall.
Researchers also looked at multi-sensory integration, which is just a fancy term used to describe our ability to process information in and around us via our senses. Older adults have a more challenging time processing sound and sight together, and people who fall are particularly challenged with integrating sound and sight as well.
What role does chiropractic care have on multi-sensory integration in the aging population? Researchers divided participants into two groups, a chiropractic group and a control. The chiropractic group was better able to properly access sound and information after four weeks and even better after 12 weeks. As a side note, chiropractic participants added they felt physically better too. Chiropractic care helps you stay active, healthy, and alert.
Live out your golden years with peace and comfort.
Call us today to schedule your adjustment! And, if there are any friends, family members, co-workers, or neighbors that could benefit from this heightened sense of body awareness and risk prevention, feel free to share this information with them.
Below I’ve included links to the studies mentioned above:
- 1. Holt KR. Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care in Sensorimotor Function Associated with Falls Risks in Older People University of Auckland, 2014
- 2. Holt KR, Haavik H, Lee AC, et al. Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care to Improve Sensorimotor Function Associated With Falls Risks in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Manipulative PhysiolTher 2016
- 3. Weigel PA, Hockenberry J, Bentler SE, et al. The comparative effect of episodes of chiropractic and medical treatment on the health of older adults. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2014;37(3):143-54
- 4. Weigel PA, Hockenberry JM, Wolinsky FD. Chiropractic use in the Medicare population: prevalence, patterns, and associations with 1-year changes in health and satisfaction with care. J Manipulative PhysiolTher 2014;37(8):542-51
