As we age our independence becomes one of the most important aspects of life. Losing the ability to drive can make us feel "trapped" and decrease our quality of life. We don't want to be a burden on family members and often have a difficult time knowing or telling someone when we no longer feel safe driving.
So, how can we improve or maintain our ability to continuing driving safely?
First, the ability to turn your head and neck is very important for driving and this is something that becomes limited as we age. Gentle range of motion exercises for the...
Experts Blogs
Life coaches and experts blog and share their wisdom on how to live a happy, fulfilled life. They write about self management and parenting advice, career and how to succeed articles as well as answer questions from you about how to best navigate your life.
Elderly who want to keep driving Featured
Sitting for one hour correlates to a decrease in life expectancy of 21.8 minutes, according to an October 2012 study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine. In this study, they found that on average, people sit for 50-70% of the day. Sitting also puts increased pressure on the discs of our spine and can cause back and leg pain. As a physical therapist, I frequently treat patients who have low back pain, sciatic pain, and hip pain caused from prolonged sitting.
There are several simple lifestyle changes that can give you pain relief and lengthen your life expectancy. First, try to devise...
Spring is on! And, for many people, so is "spring cleaning!" This is the time of year when people feel the need to clean out the humble abode, whether it is sorting through closets or even giving the home a new coat of paint. The hardest part about spring cleaning is getting it all done without tweaking your back or any other body part.
Your spring cleaning may never become effortless, but you can make it a lot more manageable. For example, set realistic goals, perhaps day by day. Even Martha Stewart says you couldn't possibly get your "spring cleaning" done...
"I just want this pain in my neck and these headaches to go away!"
I hear this complaint often. Neck pain is very common, and I have found that most people who complain of neck pain also complain of headaches. Sometimes neck pain is caused by injury, but sometimes it is not injury related at all. Car accidents, falls, and even contact sports are common ways of injuring the neck. Whip-lash occurs and the discs in between the vertebrae can be damaged. If discs in the upper or cervical spine are damaged, this can cause headaches because bones are pushing on...
Osteoporosis is defined as low bone mass or the deterioration of bone tissue. This can increase your risk for fractures of the spine, wrist, and hips. Fractures can occur all over the body, but these areas are where bone mineral density declines first, and most rapidly.
How do we prevent our bones from becoming porous and what puts a person at risk? Research has proven that weight bearing exercises will build bone density through the spine and hips. This means exercising with weights while standing, and walking or jogging. Exercises done on the hands and knees will also target the upper...