Falls are top cause of injuries for Americans over 65 [VIDEO]

 

Transcript

As the baby boomers continue to age, travel physical therapy professionals will have to get ready to treat a growing number of injuries caused by falls. Each year, millions of adults aged 65 and older suffer severe injuries from losing balance.

The number of people 65 and older who died after a fall reached 24,000 in 2012 – which is almost double the number from a decade earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Today, seniors in the U.S. account for 13 percent of the population. But by 2030, when all baby boomers will have passed age 65, the elderly crowd will reach 20 percent of the population.

Fractures, sprains and bruises all may result from falls. Those on travel physical therapy assignments can provide an individualized treatment program to get patients back on their feet and prevent falls in the future.

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