May 2017

SENIOR HEALTH
Your
Mobility is
Your
Life
by Randall Taubman, MD, CPE
One of the most important
predictors of how healthy
you will be and what
quality of life you can
expect is your present
speed and balance while
walking.
Your walking need not be very fast
or far, but to have a sure-footed gait
and be able to walk the length of your
home comfortably is a critical factor in
your health. Because falls are a major
contributor to loss of independence
and function, preventing falls becomes
paramount to keeping seniors safe,
independent, and enjoying life.
An article published in the Journal of
American Medicine Association in 2011,
titled Gait Speed and Survival in Older
Adults, pooled data from nine different
studies that showed a link between gait
speed and survival for the next five years
of the subjects’ lives. In these studies, a
speed of one meter per second predicted
improved survival. This works out be
about 78 steps per minute for a man or
90 steps per minute for a woman. This is
also equal to crossing a 10-foot room in
about three seconds.
Five essential things I emphasize with
my patients to keep them walking and
healthy are listed:
1Walk every day at whatever level
of gait that you have in order to
112
preserve and maintain your current level
of function. Walking daily is essential.
Equally important is to maintain your
home with clear walkways, adequate
lighting, and discard any trip hazards.
Have grab bars or other safety features
installed.
Have a positive mental outlook. So
2 often, in regard to walking, I hear a
four letter word– “can’t.” As long as you
use this word, you will not be able to
achieve your goals. I often tell of a favorite
patient, whom after a long illness in the
hospital, was wheelchair bound. He said,
“I can’t walk at all, I can’t even stand up.”
After finding that his brain and nervous
system were intact, I asked him, “How
long can you stand for?” He replied, “I
can only stand up with my walker for
15 seconds.” I said, “So stand for 15
seconds every hour of the day while you
are awake. Once you are comfortable
with 15 seconds, go to 30 seconds, then
one minute, then two minutes, and so on.
Once you can stand a few minutes, start
to take a few steps.” This gentleman,
who would have remained in a wheelchair
forever, was walking and free of the
wheelchair within a few weeks of this
hourly and daily effort.
Get an annual physical. You should be
3 screened for diabetes, hypertension,
dyslipidemia, thyroid disease, vitamin D
deficiency, and others. Recognizing and
treating these conditions early can help
avoid complications of these diseases
that may otherwise result in decreased
mobility and falls.
MAY 2017
Maintain a healthy diet and weight. A
4 healthy diet is integral to the treatment
of any disease, and likewise there is no
disease in which diet does not play a role.
Stay active. Take part in community
5 activities
that involve
movement. It has
been shown that
daily movement
is important in
many diseases
such as reducing
dementia,
Parkinson’s, and
others. You can
achieve your
daily movement
goals and maintain your mobility through
walking, swimming, cycling, tai chi, yoga,
stretching, bird watching, and other
activities.
In summary, maintaining
your ability to walk, move,
or do related activities is
essential to maintaining
your health, independence,
and quality of life.
Dr. Taubman is a board certified physician
in Internal Medicine. He is an Affiliate
Assistant Professor at the Charles E
Schmidt Medical School at FAU and
practices in Glades Medical Group in
Boca Raton.