Practicing Yoga or Tai Chi May Help Reduce Your Risk of a Slip and Fall Injury

 Posted on August 23, 2016 in Premises Liability

According to the National Safety Council, approximately 2.5 million people are treated in emergency departments for slips and falls each year. Some of those falls happen at home, some happen at work, and still others occur at business establishments in premises liability accidents. A new study suggests that practicing yoga on a regular basis could reduce your risk for them all.

The Relationship Between Falls and Balance

As the human body ages, balance begins to fade. As such, those who are older are at greater risk for falls than those who are younger. However, one study concluded that everyone – even young people – experience frequent slips and falls. Conducted on college students, the study counted 1,446 total trips and slips and 82 falls over the course of 16 weeks. And so, the final consensus is that every person, young and old, could benefit from improved balance to help them prevent slips, trips, and falls.

The Yoga Study

Completed by the University of Miami, the yoga study examined the balance performance of participants before and after the completion of the 12-week study. Each had a history of falls and underwent one of three assigned exercise balance programs: tai chi, yoga, or standard balance training. Yoga and tai chi both proved to be just as effective at improving balance and postural stability as other, more traditional programs. However, the balance yoga program and tai chi balance programs were also found to improve gait speed and participants reported feeling better, overall, upon completion of the study. Some had suffered from pain, lack of strength, or lack of flexibility, all of which were reportedly improved because of the exercise program.

Slips and Falls Can Still Happen

While yoga and tai chi may be able to decrease the risk of fall, particularly among those who may be considered at high risk, falls can and do still happen. This is especially true when establishments are negligent in their actions and thereby fail to ensure the safety of their patrons. These fall incidents, otherwise known as premises liability, could leave establishments liable for the injuries of their patrons.

The skilled and experienced Milwaukee, Wisconsin personal injury attorneys of Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP can help you and your loved ones pursue the compensation you deserve for your slip and fall injury. Backed by more than 40 years of experience, we use our highly-developed investigative skills to determine why and how a slip and fall accident occurred and then use our litigation skills to fight for a fair and just settlement for our clients. Get the aggressive representation you deserve. Call 414-271-1440 and schedule your consultation today.

Sources:

http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/safety-at-home-falls.aspx

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3487458/Do-struggle-stay-two-feet-Study-finds-humans-surprisingly-bad-WALKING-trip-slip-over.html

http://www.bvyoga.com/thebuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Comparative-Impacts-of-Tai-Chi-Balance-Training-and-a-Specially-Designed-Yoga-Program-on-Balance-in-Older-Fallers.pdf

http://news.wgcu.org/post/why-yoga-might-be-key-preventing-falls-you-age