Reports of elderly people becoming disabled or even dying from falls are not uncommon. So, how can older people prevent falls in their daily lives? Regular leg massages can be effective in preventing falls. Let's take a look below.
Dry massage the legs to promote blood circulation and dispel stasis.
"Dry massaging the legs" can not only promote blood circulation but also activate blood and dispel stasis, enhance leg strength and joint flexibility, and improve the coordination ability of the limbs, reducing the chances of falls in older people. It can be done either on the bed or while sitting on a chair. Before exercising, it is best to move the limbs a bit, then grasp one ankle with both hands and rub it from bottom to top 20 times, then massage the other leg.
Exercise balance by swinging the legs.
The balance, coordination, and load-bearing capacity of the elderly's body will all decline. Doing leg swinging exercises regularly helps to train balance and promote the circulation of qi and blood in the legs. The specific method is: hold onto the back of a chair or a sturdy tree trunk, keep one leg stable, raise the other leg to a certain angle (as long as the body can maintain balance), and swing it in circles in the air. After completing the exercise, rest for a while, then switch legs. Do this 5-6 times in the morning and evening. This is beneficial for the maintenance of lower limb muscles and joints, and increases the balance and flexibility of the legs when walking.
Strengthen tendons and invigorate deficiency by massaging the calves.
When feeling discomfort in the lower limbs, massaging the calf muscles can greatly alleviate the discomfort. There is an acupoint called "Chengshan" on the calf muscles, which has the effect of relieving fatigue. This acupoint is easy to find. When you stretch your lower leg forcefully or raise your heel, a depression resembling the shape of a "person" will appear on the calf muscle, and the pointed corner of the depression is the acupoint. When massaging the calves, press this acupoint, which can invigorate the tendons and supplement deficiencies, and have a good effect in relieving back pain, leg cramps, and calf spasms. Generally, do this 1-2 times a day, each time for about 10 minutes, until you feel a slight soreness or swelling.
Strengthen joints and increase flexibility by twisting the knees.
Knees are one of the more fragile joints in the human body. It is important to strengthen them through exercise: stand with feet together, slightly squat down, hold both knees with your hands, and rotate the legs clockwise 10 times, then counterclockwise 10 times, 1-2 times a day. Try to rotate as much as possible, allowing the legs to go from bent to straight, and from straight to bent, pushing to the limit each time. Persisting in this exercise can strengthen knee joint toughness.
