Staying Fit May Help Avoid Falls

If you remain physically fit and stick with a regular exercise routine, you may lower your risk of falling, no matter how old you are, according to a new study from the University of Pittsburgh that will appear in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. About 19,000 people die each year in the United States and about 8 million people seek emergency treatment due to a fall.  Using data from participants in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study from 1970 to 1989 and who responded to questions during a 1990 follow-up survey, the researchers concluded that people need about two hours of regular exercise per week to lower their risk of falling. Those who exercised for a shorter amount of time or not at all did not experience such benefits.