Reduce your risk of falling with Qi Gong
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.
Humpty Dumpty fell off a wall which is a rare event for Seniors in Canada.
More and more seniors are falling victim to the Humpty Dumpty effect.
Senior’s Falls In Canada
74% of falls happen while you are walking on a flat surface or going up or down stairs.
50% of all falls causing hospitalization happen at home.
85% of seniors’ injury related hospitalizations is due to a fall.
The average stay in hospital is 10 days longer for falls than for any other cause.
Injuries due to falls rose 43% between 2003 and 2008.
Deaths due to falls rose 65% between 2003 and 2008.
Humpty Dumpty had all the kings men try to put him back to together. There is no mention about the cost of this effort by the king. For Seniors in Nova Scotia there is a significant cost to falling down.
Falls are the leading cause of injuries amongst seniors in Nova Scotia.
Senior’s Falls In Nova Scotia
Falls cost over $107 Million every year in hospital admissions and emergency Department visits.
Falls are the leading cause of injuries amongst seniors.
Women are twice as likely to be admitted to hospital due to a fall.
What to do about Falls
You can avoid the Humpty Dumpty effect by practicing Qi Gong several times a week.
The Senior’s Falls in Canada: Second Report published in 2014 identified that Tai Chi, Yoga and Dance can help to increase your stability and mobility while reducing your risk of falling.
Qi Gong
“Since I started doing Qi Gong I am much more stable.” Marg Ross
Qi Gong has its roots in the ancient Chinese health care system which integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention to open blockages in the body based on the same meridian system used in acupuncture. The movements are simple and allow access to everyone. To begin to benefit you do not have to be fit; you don’t have to be flexible; you don’t even have to be able to stand up. What is required is the willingness to show up and do your best.
The exercises can be modified for almost anyone who wants to learn the Zen Wellness system.
Western scientific research confirms that Qigong reduces hypertension and the incidence of falling in the aged population. One of the more important long-term effects is that Qigong re-establishes the body/mind/spirit connection.
There are three factors that will help you to avoid the Humpty Dumpty effect and enable you to stand like a mountain and flow like a river.
- Establish your foundation
- Create flexibility in your spine
- Move in five directions
We start at the beginning with building a solid foundation.
1 – Establish your foundation
Qi Gong movements start with increasing awareness of your feet. As you work through the various movements you are taught to become more aware of the pressure in your foot as it shifts from the front to the back of the foot as well as from one foot to other.
Qi Gong movements shift the pressure in your feet from the front to the back of the foot with each breath that you take. This constant movement makes you more aware of the changing pressure sensations in your feet. This increased awareness helps you to become more stable.
Becoming more aware of the changing pressure in your feet will help to become more stable and stand like a mountain.
Once you become more aware of your feet you are ready to move on to your spine.
2 – Create flexibility in your spine
“After 6 months of Qi Gong twice a week, I no longer use a cane.” Harolyn Wilson
Qi Gong movements focus on creating flexibility in your spine. There are three movements that you develop:
- Arching your back like a cat. Lift your ribs, lift your tail bone and bring your shoulder blades together.
- Rounding your back like a turtle. Drop your ribs, tuck your tail bone and bring your collar bones together.
- Twist like a rope. Turning your hips, abdomen, ribs, shoulders, and finally head so you can look behind you.
It is these three movements of the spine that will increase your stability and you will be able to stand like a mountain.
Creating flexibility in your spine prepares you for moving like a river.
3 – Move in five directions
With Qi Gong you focus on moving forward, backward, to the left, to the right as well as up to the sky.
Using the foundation of your feet that you created in step 1. Adding on the flexibility of your spine that you developed step 2 brings you to using your big toe to get you moving from side to side.
The big toe is used to initiate the movement of your hips from side to side and back to front. Starting this movement from your feet rather than your hips will increase your stability.
Learning to use your big toe to start your movement from side to side will enable you to safely flow like a river.
Summary
If Humpty Dumpty used these three elements perhaps falling off a wall will be a rare event:
- Build a solid foundation with your feet
- Develop a flexible spine
- Become aware of your big toe as you move in five directions.
Will enable you to avoid the Humpty Dumpty effect, increase your stability and mobility as well as avoid falls.
You will Stand like a mountain and flow like a river.
How to get started
We offer daytime, evening and weekend Getting started with Qi Gong classes. These classes are designed for beginners.
If you use a cane, a walker or wheel chair you are welcome in the class.
We have chairs available which you can use for all of the class or just have it near by in case you need it for balance from time to time.
Some of our members started with canes and used the chairs for the entire class. After six months of coming twice a week they no longer use a cane and the chairs are folded up and put away.
Where to go
Sunrise Yoga
Suite 505 – 73 Tacoma Drive
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
We are across the street from the 24-hour Sobeys, next to KFC and behind the Main Street McDonald’s.
Phone number: 902-404-9642
email address: jack@sunriseyoga.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SunriseYoga/
