Look Who it Was Random video

Watching Your Step

28 views · Published 19 April 2015 · 1:39 · Indexed 26 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2015 · Science & Technology

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Despite what you see in the movies, a slip and fall is no laughing matter. The consequences of falling for people 65 and over are tremendous.

“One out of three seniors falls every year. Half of those are hospitalized, and 50% of those pass away within a year. So it’s a horrible statistic. Horrible,” says Mark Tesoro, an injury analyst with Lee Memorial Health System.

To lower these daunting figures, he participates in health fairs, educating people on the importance of watching their step.

Irene Wieland uses dance to stay on her toes.

“I think it keeps your joints moving. And if your joints don’t move well you have a chance of falling down.”

As people age, they often lose confidence in their balance. In part, that has to do with proprioception, the sense of knowing where you are in space. It’s vital to understanding where your feet will land with each step. A proper balance screening can assess your skills and risk.

“We make sure to tell people there’s a reason you’re falling if you fall. Find out what that reason is and do something about it. So if you need to have an evaluation for balance, that’s what you need to do,” says Tesoro.

This push toward prevention is paying off locally.

“We’ve actually seen at the Trauma Center itself a 10% decrease in our falls.”

The way Wieland sees it; she is improving her standing, one step at a time.

“The more active you are, the healthier you’re going to be.”

View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

Visit leememorial.org

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