top of page
Writer's pictureJulian Simpson

How Chiropractic Care Can Help Seniors Reduce the Risk of Falls and Improve Overall Senses

Updated: Jan 16


Chiropractic Care for the elderly

How Chiropractic Care Can Help Seniors Reduce the Risk of Falls and Improve Overall Senses


Did you know that 80% of injury-related hospital admissions in people older than 65 years are the leading cause of injury-related death in older adults?


What are the risks associated with falls?

Lower Limb Weakness

Recent History of falling

Gait Deficits

Deterioration of the sensorimotor system (this occurs with normal aging)


How Can Chiropractic Help?

Chiropractors can help influence sensorimotor functions by:

1. Neuroplastic processes in the central nervous system through altered afferent input.

2. Pain and altered cognition as a result with respect to attention focus and physical function

3. Muscle strength and muscle activity patters

4. Deterioration of the sensorimotor system that occurs regularly with normal aging


The research found that after a thoracic chiropractic adjustment, there was a reduction in Blood oxygen level-dependent activity. (more specifically the cingulate, insular, motor, amygdala, and somatosensory cortices and the PAG regions.

The motor cortex is involved in the planning and execution of voluntary movements. The somatosensory cortex is involved in processing the sense of touch and the PAG is for descending pain modulation


Coronado et al. (2012) reported that, “Reductions in pain sensitivity, or hypoalgesia, following SMT [spinal manipulative therapy or the chiropractic adjustment] may be indicative of a mechanism related to the modulation of afferent input or central nervous system processing of pain” (p. 752). “


Holt et. Al found that outcomes measured for both sensorimotor and quality of life increased with chiropractic care. The primary outcomes of improvement choice stepping reaction time (CSRT)and sound-induced flash illusion



Worried about the safety of Chiropractic?

Whedon et al. 2015 stated that: “No mechanism by which SM [spinal manipulation] induces injury into normal healthy tissues has been identified” (Whedon et al., 2015, p. 5).



We have been helping our community for over 10+ years with their muscle and spinal problems. Please call Health Wise Chiropractic at 03 9467 7889 or book online to see if one of our Chiropractors in Sunbury or Melton/Strathtulloh could do the same for you!


OR


Chiropractic has moved online. We offer our online programs -STAND CORRECTED- To help you through the day. They contain health advice for your conditions, nutritional advice, and exercises for you to do at home or at the workplace to help you achieve your health goals. We understand that coming to the Chiropractic clinic may be costly and time-consuming. This way if you can't make it into the chiropractic office, you can do any of our 20+ online health programs at your leisure.

Enjoy and we hope they spark a little bit of joy and help you achieve your health goals. Each program contains - Information about the conditions - things to do and things to avoid - nutrition advice - all the stretches that are needed to help The following conditions are now available for online sessions

  • migraine

  • cervicogenic headaches

  • cervical facet neck pain

  • tension headaches

  • cervical radiculopathy (pins and needles in the arm originating from the neck)

  • shoulder impingement relief

  • thoracic outlet syndrome

  • frozen shoulder

  • rotator cuff

  • chronic lumbar (Low Back) disc pain

  • acute Lumbar(low back) disc pain

  • Lumbar facet pain

  • sciatica and piriformis syndrome

  • meniscus (knee pain)

  • Plantar fasciitis (Foot Pain)

  • Shin Splints

  • Tennis Elbow/Golfers elbow

  • Carpal tunnel Syndrome

  • Upper Crossed Syndrome( Poor Posture)

  • Lower Crossed Syndrome ( Poor Posture)

  • Dizziness-Vertigo

  • Arthritis

  • Welcome To Chiropractic

  • TMJ (Jaw Pain)



References:

1. Holt K., Haavik H., Lee A., Murphy B., Elley C., (2016) Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care to Improve Sensorimotor Function Associated with Falls Risk in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 39(4) 267-278

2. Falls and Older Adults, Causes and Risk Factors (n.d.) National Institute of Health, retrieved from: http://nihseniorhealth.gov/falls/causesandriskfactors/01.html

3. Gay, C. W., Robinson, M. E., George, S. Z., Perlstein, W. M., & Bishop, M. D. (2014). Immediate changes after manual therapy in resting-state functional connectivity as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging in participants with induced low back pain.Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 37(9), 614-627.

4. Coronado, R. A., Gay, C. W., Bialosky, J. E., Carnaby, G. D., Bishop, M. D., & George, S. Z. (2012). Changes in pain sensitivity following spinal manipulation: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Journal of Electromyography Kinesiology, 22(5), 752-767.

Whedon, J. M., Mackenzie, T. A., Phillips, R. B., & Lurie, J. D. (2015). Risk of traumatic injury associated with chiropractic spinal manipulation in Medicare Part B beneficiaries aged 66-69 years. Spine, 40(4), 264-270

Comments


bottom of page