According to recent studies, you are TWICE as likely to die in the next decade if you’re unable to hold a single leg balance for a minimum of 10seconds. Poor balance leads to falls, the NUMBER ONE cause of injury andinjury related deaths in those over the age of 65, costing over $50B in medical costs annually in the U.S. alone, and is expected to increase to $101B by the year 2030, with the average cost for treating a fall is $64,000. Some physicians are now actually using a single leg balance test to predict longevity.
50% of aging adults and others who fear falling limit or exclude social of physical activities due to this fear, but studies show that regular strength and balance training can reduce age-induced neuromuscular risk factors with a FALL RATE REDUCTION OF UP TO 50%!
Active lifestyles promote balance proficiency, even beginning later in life. Specifically, numerous studies show that challenging and repetitive balance activities, especially on unstable surfaces, are effective for reducing falls, disrupting the downward spiral that occurs when impairment precludes activity in a growing senior population.
Despite these benefits, nearly half of older adults are inactive, corresponding to high rates of fall-related injuries and mortality. Extended training adherence is difficult to maintain partly due to perceived ineffective treatments and lack of motivation. At-home therapy that quantifies balance performance can promote adherence by motivating users with self-evaluated training progress, and this is EXACTLY the type of training and therapy that ZeSa® Dynamic Balance-Strength Training System™ provides!
Dynamic Balance Training is also proven to improve Brain Cognition. Numerous studies suggest that balance and cognition are highly interdependent, and instability balance training can improve measures of cognitive function, balance, brain activity, and connectivity, all of which are related to brain plasticity (the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization).
It was once thought by neuroscientists that brain plasticity manifested only during childhood, but research in the latter half of the 20th century showed that many aspects of the brain can be altered even through adulthood. Recent studies show that standard exercise may not accomplish this, but that a sense of instability and the need to stabilize your body through dynamic balance training can be an indication for the brain to release the “neurochemical cocktail” (adrenaline, acetylcholine and dopamine) which can help to restructure or rewire the brain.
Whether in the home, at the gym, or at senior living and wellness facilities, ZeSa® Dynamic Balance-Strength Training System™ provides a safe and effective means to combat many of the effects of both the mind and body due to aging, which can improve Quality of Life for aging adults and increase Longevity.
Following is a video with a perfect example of Dynamic Balance Training to help improve balance AND brain cognition in active aging adults.