Strengthening Seniors

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WUSA) -- At her midday exercise class, Dorothy, 86, recalls her days as a national champion figure skater and says, "...I have no intention of slowing down. I've taken up dancing now."

Seniors like Dorothy understand that aging is not synonymous with losing your independence.

The National Institutes of Health says every year, more than 300,000 older Americans head to the hospital with a broken hip or bone fracture as the result of a fall.

Another class participant, Bob Connolly, 70, never considered how much not being able to be independent really mattered until he says when, "..a year ago I fell down the steps at home and tore up my knee."

Sport and Health Club designed Fall Proof Mobility, a class designed to help the aging population avoid debilitating injuries.

Fitness instructor Pat Backe says many people, as they age, won't notice until it's too late that muscles and joints don't function like before.

Pat explains, "They go to bend over and pick something up and all of a sudden, their balance is off."

The class is broken into breathing exercises that work on cardiovascular fitness and building endurance, strength training to boost the function of muscles and joints. Maybe most important of all, balance exercises that help stabilize their center of gravity.

A foam like object called the balance block detects problems with steadiness which is the number one reason seniors suffer a slip, trip or stumble.

An obstacle and avoidance course builds muscles, joint function and basic reflexes.

"This is to get them to slow down and stop so that they can reclaim their balance before they lurch themselves forward," says Pat.

For many in the class, it's also a chance to build confidence and to enjoy a bit of camaraderie too.

Class participant Douglas Flemming's advice is that, "You don't have to stop completely. You have to slow down if you just can't take it anymore, but you don't want to stop."

Bob, who knows from personal experience says, "I don't think people realize what could happen to you when you fall. It's a life changing experience."