This morning, Beijing ushered in the first snow of this winter!
For middle-aged and elderly people, heavy snow days will not only bring beautiful snow scenes in the capital, but also bring us mobility inconvenience, and may even increase the risk of falling. Accidental falls are dangerous for the elderly, which may lead to fractures, joint injuries and other problems, seriously affecting the quality of life of middle-aged and elderly people. Therefore, in this snowy day, middle-aged and elderly people should pay special attention to bone health and prevent falls.
Here, Shen Jiancheng, deputy chief physician of the Department of Orthopedics of Beijing Longfu Hospital-Beijing Institute of Geriatric Health of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, brings you some scientific suggestions:
1.Wear the right shoes: On heavy snowy days, when the road is snowy and prone to freezing, it's important to choose a pair of shoes that are non-slip and grippy. Be sure to avoid wearing high heels or shoes with slippery soles as much as possible to avoid accidentally falling while walking.
2.Try to slow down the pace and slow down the speed: the road is slippery in heavy snow, the elderly should slow down the pace as much as possible, walk steadily step by step, and never rush to avoid accidentally falling down and not reaching the speed. And try to avoid lifting heavy objects in heavy snowy days, which will affect the balance of the body and easily lead to falls. Try not to choose to travel by bicycle or electric car, if you must ride, you need to slow down, and try to get off the car when you encounter a turn or slope.
3.Dress warmly: The temperature is low and cold on heavy snowy days. For middle-aged and elderly people, it is necessary to take measures to keep warm, especially the legs and joints, which are most likely to lead to the invasion of cold evil and aggravation of the disease. Wearing warm clothing and shoes to maintain a comfortable body temperature and smooth and stable blood circulation can also further reduce joint stiffness and reduce the risk of falling during activity.
4.Appropriate calcium supplementation: middle-aged and elderly people lose calcium quickly, which can easily lead to osteoporosis. In heavy snowy days, it is necessary to pay more attention to calcium supplementation and eat more calcium-rich foods, such as milk, soy products, seafood, etc.
5.Keep exercising: life lies in exercise, although it is not advisable to exercise too vigorously in heavy snowy days, and it is not recommended for the elderly to be too outdoors, but middle-aged and elderly people still need to maintain proper exercise, you can choose some indoor safe exercise locations, do some Tai Chi, Baduanjin, yoga and other exercises. Exercise helps to strengthen bones and improve balance.
6.Do a good job of home protection: At home, especially in the bathroom, kitchen and other areas that are easy to slip, do a good job of anti-slip measures, such as laying non-slip mats, installing handrails, etc. If you are a resident of a bungalow, you should pay more attention to the outdoor anti-skid, clear the snow on the road in a timely manner, and lay anti-skid mats if possible.
7.Regular check-ups and timely medical treatment: Middle-aged and elderly people should have regular bone examinations to understand their bone health. If problems such as osteoporosis are found, the best measures should be taken in time. If you unfortunately fall, especially if you can't sit up or turn over on your own, you must contact your family or emergency personnel in time and send them to the hospital for treatment in time to avoid fractures and delay diagnosis.
In short, in heavy snowy days, middle-aged and elderly people should pay special attention to bone health and prevent falls. Through the above measures, the risk of fractures and joint injuries is reduced, and the elderly friends are safely and auspiciously spent in the beautiful winter of Beijing. (Shen Jiancheng, deputy chief physician of the Department of Orthopedics).