Hi, I’m Stephen Dunn, and as the weather cools down here in Austin and Westlake Hills, TX, we all rush to enjoy the parks, trails, and outdoor spaces we missed during the summer heat. That’s fantastic, but with the changing season, we’re already starting to see an increase in a common, yet preventable, injury: fall-related sprains and fractures in people over 45.
The combination of damp leaves, reduced visibility in the evenings, and the uneven terrain common on our beautiful trails (like the Barton Creek Greenbelt) creates a perfect storm for trips and slips. Often, the resulting injury is a wrist fracture from bracing a fall, or an ankle sprain from landing awkwardly.
Your Best Defense is Preparation
At CORE Therapy & Pilates, our goal isn’t just to fix the injury after it happens, but to equip your body to prevent it in the first place. You wouldn’t drive a car with bad brakes, so why trust a busy season to a body with weakened stability?
The best defense against a fall is a strong foundation of balance, core stability, and hip strength.
3 Ways to Fall-Proof Your Body Now
I highly encourage you to add these three types of exercises to your routine to strengthen the areas most vulnerable to fall injuries:
- Balance Training: This is the most critical element. Practice the Single-Leg Stance (try closing your eyes once you feel stable!) or Heel-to-Toe Walking. This trains your body to make rapid, small corrections when you hit uneven terrain, preventing a stumble from becoming a fall.
- Core and Hip Strength: Your hips stabilize you during single-leg activities like walking. Focus on exercises like Bridges and Clamshells to strengthen the glutes and hip abductors. A strong core acts as the anchor for all your movements.
- Resilience Training (Bracing): Strengthen the parts used to break a fall. Simple exercises like Wall Push-Ups and using a stress ball strengthen the stabilizers in your wrists and shoulders, potentially reducing the severity of a fracture if a fall does occur.
Maintain Momentum: Our Wellness Space is Open to You!
Whether you’ve completed a therapy program with us or are just looking for a high-quality, clinical environment for your preventative training, our studio is available. We offer two great options for continued movement:
- Independent Training (Wellness Program): Use our space and top-tier equipment (including the Pilates Reformers) for your own customized training routine. This is perfect for maintaining the balance and strength exercises outlined above.
- Pilates Classes: Prefer instructor guidance? Join one of our specialized Pilates Reformer classes to boost your core strength, flexibility, and balance in a supportive, expert-led setting.
Don’t let a preventable fall ruin your beautiful Austin autumn. If you are experiencing pain, stiffness, or instability, we can help.
Ready to Start Your Own Progress Story?
Do you have chronic pain points—be it stiffness, numbness, or limited mobility—that you believe our combination of Physical Therapy, Pilates, or specialized Neuropathy services can help them with? We invite you to reach out and discuss your specific challenges with one of our specialists. Click here to take the first step toward reclaiming your movement and function!