September's Walk with a Doc: Fall Prevention Focus

September’s Walk with a Doc had to be one of the best Walks that Boulder Community Health has had the pleasure of hosting! Over 145 people gathered bright and early this past Saturday to enjoy a lovely morning at East Boulder Community Park.

In honor of Fall Prevention Month in September, internist Dr. Elizabeth Lycett of Frontier Internal Medicine shared her top tips for helping prevent falls that can erode independence as we age. Each year, one out of four Americans over age 65 will suffer a fall, and nearly 30,000 die from their injuries.

Dr. Lycett's top tips for preventing falls:

1. Be physically active. (Our early-morning walkers had a good start on this one!)
2. Talk to your primary care doctor. If you have fallen--or are having issues with balance, dizziness, weakness, blood pressure or other symptoms--make an appointment with your doctor, said Dr. Lycett. Physicians may order relevant tests, prescribe physical therapy, recommend more stable footwear or advise other healthy lifestyle modifications.
3. Don’t forget strength training. Lifting weights or doing other weight-bearing exercise helps maintain muscle strength as you age, she said.

On September 21, BCH will host free educational classes at our annual Protecting Yourself From Falls' event. For details, visit this link.

The other big hit at this month’s Walk was the fantastic Falls Awareness Learning Lab, created by Melissa Pruitt, wellness services coordinator at the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging, and her team. Many walkers had fun trying to point out potential tripping hazards in photos of a typical home, and completed other interactive education that brought this important safety topic to life.

Please come out for the next Walk on October 13 at North Boulder Park (2848 9^th Street) from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Oncologist Dr. Lori Jensen of Rocky Mountain Cancer Center will discuss walking and cancer prevention. Get the schedule and details: bch.org/walkwithadoc.

BCH's Walk With a Doc could not do this without our awesome partners -- City of Boulder Parks and Recreation department, Boulder Community Health Foundation, AMR and Boulder Fire + Rescue – or sponsors, including Natural Grocers, Eldorado Springs Water, Via, Starbucks, Pedestrian Shops, Furniture For Life, Elements Massage, NextHealth, Justin's, Wallaroo Hat Company, Made in Nature, Cedar and Hyde Mercantile, Organic India, CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center, Goddess Garden Organics and PACT Apparel. And thanks to Grillo Health Information Center!