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Harrison Young was portraying the elderly Private James Ryan in Steven Spielberg's 1998 war film Saving Private Ryan. In the clip, he walked with bent knees. His leg was mostly bent when striking the ground and mostly bent even as a support when the other leg was swinging forward.
Elderly walking with bent knees fatigues a lot more easily, influencing efficiency in daily activities. For many, it could mean a lower self-esteem and staying home most if not all the time.
"It is estimated that at least one-third of people aged 65 years and over fall one or more times a year."
(Source: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Falls_prevention_for_older_people)
What if they fell without apparent injuries, refused to see a doctor for a checkup, and resulted in blood clots in their brains without knowing it?
(Source: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Falls_prevention_for_older_people)
What if they fell without apparent injuries, refused to see a doctor for a checkup, and resulted in blood clots in their brains without knowing it?
So do you or do you not walk with bent knees? I bet you don't know, don't you?
An old man in his eighties tripped in his home, cutting his head and fracturing his neck. He could barely stand up and walk after three brain and neck surgeries. He stayed at the hospital for five months. Trying to help him walk again, he was given a walker and a Physical Therapist Assistant would walk with him in the corridor once or twice a week. At the end, the Physical Therapist in the team announced that nothing more can be done. And he could not go home since he needed 24-hour care. He went to a nursing home.
Two weeks later, he could walk a short distance by himself without a walker. And he could go to the washroom all by himself. This became possible simply because someone spotted that he attempted walking with bent knees. (Walking without a walker is quite risky at this stage. This is not encouraged.)
An old man in his eighties tripped in his home, cutting his head and fracturing his neck. He could barely stand up and walk after three brain and neck surgeries. He stayed at the hospital for five months. Trying to help him walk again, he was given a walker and a Physical Therapist Assistant would walk with him in the corridor once or twice a week. At the end, the Physical Therapist in the team announced that nothing more can be done. And he could not go home since he needed 24-hour care. He went to a nursing home.
Two weeks later, he could walk a short distance by himself without a walker. And he could go to the washroom all by himself. This became possible simply because someone spotted that he attempted walking with bent knees. (Walking without a walker is quite risky at this stage. This is not encouraged.)
A. When the knee is bent, the stress at the joint increased as the top part tends to rotate about the knee and fall. The muscular system has to work a lot harder to keep the upper structure from falling.
B. When you take the upper body into consideration, it is a lot of work for the already degraded muscles, ligaments, and bones of the elderly. When the muscular system become overloaded, falling becomes very likely if a walker or a seat is not around. |
Perhaps I was wrong thinking that the Physical Therapy was ignorant about bent knees. Perhaps it is the elderly that is not listening and keep on walking the "easy" way now that their muscles have become shorter or weaker. Anyhow, this is how to make sure that the elderly listen to you. The key point is, What Is In It For Me. Telling them that they may fall doesn't cut it. In their mind, they won't fall, even if they did before. So what is in it for them?
A. Ask him/her to stand still. After 30 seconds, ask him/her how he/she feel.
With bent knees, even standing is an exhausting chore. B. Now push on both his/her knees with your palms until this/her legs are relatively straight and hold them there without removing your supporting palms. Do this slowly as you may push him/her over. Ask him/her to relax. After 30 seconds, ask him/her how he/she feel. |
So what is in it for the elderly that they could immediately feel and understand? They can stand and walk a lot more easily, like having more strength all of sudden! And the possibility of walking farther is immediately apparent! And that simply mean FREEDOM, something that they missed for so long.
Proceed to ask them to keep at least one leg relatively straight on the ground while standing or walking. Hold onto their knees lightly and ask them to walk very slowly for a few steps. Ask them to stop, pat on the back of the knee to show them that the knee is bent, and help straighten when necessary. Check their progress once in a while.
Proceed to ask them to keep at least one leg relatively straight on the ground while standing or walking. Hold onto their knees lightly and ask them to walk very slowly for a few steps. Ask them to stop, pat on the back of the knee to show them that the knee is bent, and help straighten when necessary. Check their progress once in a while.
It works really well. They are two issues as far as I can see though. The first issue is that there must be someone kind enough to help the elderly. People think this is a natural non-revertible old age related matter and so they take it as it is. The fact is, this bent-knee thing is revertible to a very good extent.
The second issue is that after some adjustments, the elderly would be content that they can now walk 50 MORE steps than before by straightening their legs a little bit more. Hey, that is a huge 100% improvement over the original 50 steps that they could negotiate before the change!
No, don't let them stop now. Legs less bent than before is not good enough as there is still a high chance of falling. Also, the muscular system will further deteriorate with age. Ask them how far they want to walk a few years down the road. Let them know that they must hone their walking skill a lot better now in order to make that happen. And of course most importantly, don't forget to praise and tell them that you will be there to work with them as a team.
The second issue is that after some adjustments, the elderly would be content that they can now walk 50 MORE steps than before by straightening their legs a little bit more. Hey, that is a huge 100% improvement over the original 50 steps that they could negotiate before the change!
No, don't let them stop now. Legs less bent than before is not good enough as there is still a high chance of falling. Also, the muscular system will further deteriorate with age. Ask them how far they want to walk a few years down the road. Let them know that they must hone their walking skill a lot better now in order to make that happen. And of course most importantly, don't forget to praise and tell them that you will be there to work with them as a team.
Strangely, I do not see any other relates falling and the ability to walk with bent knees. I thought it was obvious but I was wrong.
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