5 Bone Health Tips That Could Save Your Life

According to research collected by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), when an elderly person is hospitalized due to a fall, their hospital stay is almost twice as long than in cases when an elderly patient is admitted for another reason.

A fall for an elderly loved one not only puts them at risk for experiencing longer hospital stays but also decreased independence, fall-related injuries such as broken bones and possibly death.

In the aforementioned study, the AAFP found that 50 percent of older patients who survive hip fractures are discharged to a nursing home, and nearly one half of these patients are still in a nursing home one year later.

These elderly hip fracture survivors experience a 10-15 percent decrease in life expectancy and a decline in overall quality of life, according to the AAFP.

This week we wrap up our series on the top physical factors that affect one’s likelihood of experiencing a fall. Throughout this series we have discussed how hearing, eyesight and foot health is related to one’s risk of falling. This week we will cover the final topic of: bone health.

Maintaining healthy bones is not only important to reduce one’s likelihood of a fall but it is also a great way to minimize the chance of experiencing an injury due to a fall.

Much like the bodily factors or hearing and eyesight, the loss of bone health is simply a matter of aging. Everyone experiences it. Some doctors even suggest that bone strength and density deterioration starts as early as the age of 25.

This loss of bone strength and density is often referred to as Osteoporosis. It is estimated that currently there are 10 million Americans suffering from this disease, and another 34 million have experienced reduced bone mass.

Without intervention and good bone health practices, Osteoporosis can deteriorate one’s bones so much that simply bending over and coughing could cause a fracture. Considering this, it is easy to see how poor bone health can lead to a fall, fall-related injury, or even death.

The following are great ways to increase you or your elderly loved ones bone health and may even save your life someday:

  • Eat foods rich in Calcium and Vitamin D- The average daily recommended for adults aged 51-70 is 1100 mg of Calcium per day and 600 International Units (IU) of Vitamin D each day.
  • Exercise on a regular basis- Walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, dancing, and lifting weights are all great ways to increase muscle and bone strength.
  • Reduce the amount of smoking and alcoholic drinking- Cigarettes and alcohol can both cause bone loss.
  • Be aware of the side effects of your medicine- Some medicines can increase your risk of Osteoporosis.
  • Have a Bone Mineral Density test

While maintaining the health and integrity of one’s bones is an important factor in reducing the risk of a fall, it is also important to have precautionary measures in place like SmartCells fall protection mats and flooring.

To date, there have been no recorded fractures as a result of a fall on a SmartCells fall protection product.

SmartCells fall protection mats and flooring employ a unique dual-stiffness technology that provides a stable, safe surface for standing, walking, wheeling and transferring, while at the same time provide significant cushioning in case of a slip or fall.

SmartCells fall-protection mats are safe and elegant. They combine style and quality with molded-in beveled edges and allow wheeled objects to easily roll over them.

SmartCells fall protection mats are constructed of material that will not absorb liquid offering a practical solution to infection control issues. SmartCells fall-protection flooring acts as an underlayment for many choices of standard floor covering, so you won’t even know it’s there, until a fall occurs.

SmartCells Fall Protection: We’ll be there when you can’t be.

The Plantar Fasciitis Epidemic: Heal Your Heels

Podiatrists estimate that the average human takes approximately 4,000 to 6,000 steps a day, which adds up to the equivalent of 5 trips around the earth in the average lifetime.

When you consider how much time you spend on your feet and the beating they take, it’s not surprising that nearly 75-80% of the adult population experiences foot problems at one time or another.

One such common foot problem which plagues 10% of Americans and results in over 1 million doctors visits each year is Plantar Fasciitis.

Plantar Fasciitis, also commonly referred to as “heel pain syndrome”, is characterized by sharp pain to the heel, which can occur from a traumatic event but often typically is caused by overuse stress on the foot.

Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis is often difficult and expensive. According to the American Chiropractic Association(ACA), Americans spend between $192-376 million dollars on Plantar Fasciitis treatments annually. These treatments range from injections and anti-inflammatory medications to orthotics, taping, manipulation, night splinting, and instrument-assisted soft-tissue manipulation (IASTM).

The good news is that a majority Plantar Fasciitis cases are corrected without the use of surgery. Below you will find several ways you can effectively reduce the pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis.

How to Reduce Pain Associated With Plantar Fasciitis:

  1. Soak your heel in ice daily for 10 minutes or until the pain subsides.
  2. Walk barefoot in gravel. While this sounds painful, it has been found to accelerate the healing process.
  3. Get a foot massage.
  4. Shorten your stride length when walking.
  5. Scrunch towels with your toes.

I don’t have Plantar Fasciitis. Is there anything I can do to prevent it?

If you are part of the 90% of the population who hasn’t experienced Plantar Fasciitis, here are some great ways to further protect your feet from this painful syndrome:

  1. When walking, strike your mid-foot on the ground before your heel.
  2. When walking, let your upper-body lead instead of letting your feet pull you forward.
  3. Stretch the tendons in your feet before and after exercise.
  4. Maintain a healthy body weight.
  5. Wear shoes with good arch supports
  6. Utilize the use of orthotic inserts such as SmartCells Anti-fatigue orthotic insoles.

Ergonomically designed to relieve discomfort from prolonged activity, the unique SmartCells act like springs that cushion and return energy.

SmartCells anti-fatigue orthotic Insoles are available in two styles that easily slip into most shoes. These unique insoles offer additional arch and heel support, are personalized for size and tuned to the nature of the users’ activities.

The SmartCells Everyday and Active lines of orthotic insoles are pre-molded and bio-mechanically engineered to provide additional cushion and support for optimal fatigue relief while helping prevent excessive pronation and related symptoms.

SmartCells: Do More. Feel Good.

Body Weight Exercise & the 7 Reasons You Should Ditch the Gym

A common misconception people have is that to be healthy, in shape, or build muscle, one must invest in a gym membership, a personal trainer, and go to group fitness classes or start lifting weights.

However, gyms, trainers, and fitness classes take a lot of time and can be quite expensive. Between work, family, the PTA, Netflix and our day-to-day lives, finding time and motivation to work out can be very difficult.

Fortunately, unless you want to join a body building competition, the aforementioned misconception couldn’t be any further from the truth. In fact, one great way to increase your health while building cardiovascular and physical strength in the process is to utilize your own body weight.

Besides being convenient and cost efficient, body weight exercises have many other lesser known benefits over joining a gym and lifting weights. The following are some of our favorite benefits of body weight exercise:

  1. You can work at your own pace. There is no waiting for the machine or weight you need. Also, since there is no equipment involved, transitions between exercises are minimized, allowing for a higher intensity workout in less time.
  2. Burn more calories. According to research, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) that utilizes body weight exercises are highly efficient at burning calories and increasing the speed of your metabolism.
  3. Keep your workout interesting. There are a variety of body weight exercises that one can do which helps reduce the “boring” factor of simply lifting weights or jogging on a treadmill.
  4. Anyone can do them. It doesn’t matter your age, height, or weight. If you can move, you can complete a body weight exercise.
  5. Improves balance. This is a great benefit for our elderly loved ones. Not only can body weight exercises keep them healthy but it can help reduce their risk of a fall which could potentially save their life.
  6. You can do it anywhere. You don’t have to drive to the gym or go to a special area to work out. You can do body weight exercises outside, inside, at the office, or even while watching TV.
  7. Reduced risk of injury. Since body weight exercises utilize your own weight and can be customized to be low-impact on your joints the chance of experiencing an injury is greatly reduced.

Another great way to reduce the stress and impact forces exercise has on your body is to utilize SmartCells Performance Training mats and Zelus insoles.

The unique SmartCells act like springs that cushion and return energy, which can reduce impact stress on joints by up to 90%* while at the same providing a safe, stable surface for workouts. *(1” thick using ATSM F355 – 10a)

The family of SmartCells Performance Training products utilizes the same technology that has long been trusted by major companies as an anti-fatigue solution for their standing workers and, in senior living settings, as a solution to keep senior citizens safe from fall-related injuries.

Available in three different colors (Black, Light Brown, and Grey) as well as three different sizes (36”X60”, 52”X60”, 52”X88”), the remarkable SmartCells Performance Training mats are low profile (1/2”) and have molded-in beveled edges. For custom applications, SATECH offers custom-sized mats as well as a wall-to-wall flooring option that is perfect for gyms and aerobics flooring.

Want to enjoy SmartCells Cushioning on-the-go?

Check out our all-new line of Zelus Insoles. Our insoles come in two styles (Simply SmartCells Cushioning and SmartCells Cushioning with arch support), and are biomechanically designed to reduce pain, improve performance and prevent future injuries. You can learn more about them at www.zelusinsoles.com.

SmartCells Performance Training: I feel good!

 

Treat Your Feet: How Maintaining Healthy Feet Reduces Falls

We often blog about the danger associated with a potential fall for our elderly loved ones, but how dangerous can a fall really be?

According to research compiled by the National Council on Aging  (NCOA), among people aged 65 to 69, one out of every 200 falls results in a hip fracture.

This number may not seem like much so consider this, the NCOA also found that that number increases to one out of every 10 for those aged 85 and older.

Still not convinced a potential fall is life threatening for our elderly loved ones?

This final astonishing fact from the NCOA may change your mind: One-fourth of seniors who fracture a hip from a fall will die within six months of the injury.

Several weeks ago we continued our fall protection blog series on the top four bodily factors that affect an elderly loved ones risk of a fall. In that blog, we discussed how our hearing affects the likelihood of a fall. This week we plan on covering feet and how they affect our likelihood of experiencing a fall.

Feet, much like the rest of our body, feel the effects of aging. According to research from the Harvard School of Medicine, as we age:

  • The muscle tissue in our feet thin out
  • Blood is more likely to pool in our feet causing painful swelling
  • The fat pads under the heels and balls of our feet get thinner
  • The structure of our feet change (i.e. arches get flatter and toes tend to curl which increases imbalance)

It probably comes as no surprise that fall prevention and staying safely upright on our feet has a lot to do with taking care of our feet. Utilizing the following tips will not only increase and maintain your foot health as you age but it will also decrease your chances of experiencing a fall.

Exercise Your Feet

Based on recommendations from Harvard Medical School these three exercises will help maintain foot health.

  • Place a rubber band around both your big toes and rotate your feet away from each other while keeping your heels planted.
  • Use a resistance band attached to an anchor point, wrap your ankle with the band then stretch and rotate it.
  • Pick up small objects with your toes to increase tendon strength.

Wear The Right Shoes

Shoes that don’t fit properly or have slick soles can greatly increase a risk of a fall. To combat this, it helps to have your feet sized for length and width properly.

Additionally, the use of orthotic inserts, such as SmartCells anti-fatigue orthotic insoles, can help keep feet comfortable and stable in any pair of shoes one might choose.  Not only do SmartCells insoles keep users comfortable but they also help reduce the effects of plantar fasciitis and arthritic foot pain.

Keep Good Foot Hygiene

Perhaps one of the most important things you can do to help maintain foot health is to keep your or your elderly loved ones feet clean.  Make sure you wash them daily and fully dry them out to reduce the risk infections such as athlete’s foot and fungal nail infections. It’s also important to keep nails clipped and when doing so, clip them straight across to reduce the risk of an ingrown toenail.

Use SmartCells Fall Protection Mats and Flooring

While maintaining the health and integrity of one’s feet is an important factor in reducing the risk of a fall, it is also important to have precautionary measures in place like SmartCells fall protection mats and flooring.

SmartCells fall protection mats and flooring employ a unique dual-stiffness technology that provides a stable, safe surface for standing, walking, wheeling and transferring, while at the same time provide significant cushioning in case of a slip or fall.

SmartCells fall-protection mats are safe and elegant.  They combine style and quality with molded-in beveled edges and allow wheeled objects to easily roll over them.

SmartCells fall protection mats are constructed of material that will not absorb liquid offering a practical solution to infection control issues.  SmartCells fall-protection flooring acts as an underlayment for many choices of standard floor covering, so you won’t even know it’s there, until a fall occurs.

SmartCells Fall Protection: We’ll be there when you can’t be.

9 Ways to Increase Productivity After the Super Bowl

Last Sunday the 2014 NFL football season wrapped up with the Super Bowl Matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. The much anticipated game attracted a historic crowd of nearly 114.5 million viewers.

With the wide popularity of Super Bowl parties it is not surprising that the Monday after, that has infamously been dubbed Super Bowl Monday, is among the top 5 least productive days of the year.

In fact, the Super Bowl alone costs companies nearly $1 billion annually in lost productivity. There are several other factors that lead to lost workplace productivity throughout the year including: employee health and comfort, smoking breaks, Facebook, employee fatigue and employee engagement.

Combined these factors cost companies in the United States $1.8 trillion in lost workplace productivity. Considering the high cost of low productivity we have compiled a list of several tips to help you increase your productivity while on the job.

  1. Set aside time daily to plan out what you need to get done.
  2. Identify and utilize the time of day you are most productive.
  3. Take breaks.
  4. Know when to multi-task and when not to.
  5. Rate tasks and tackle the toughest ones early in the day.
  6. Limit meetings and go into each one decisively.
  7. Check email once an hour and respond to them immediately.
  8. Drink more water. Being dehydrated drains your energy faster.

Another great way to help increase productivity is to utilize SmartCells anti-fatigue products.

SmartCells anti-fatigue products are ergonomically designed and engineered to prevent and reduce pain, including back pain, associated with standing for extended periods of time and can help reduce 41% of the pain associated with lost productivity.

The unique SmartCells act like springs that cushion as weight is applied and then rebound when the weight shifts, which returns energy and reduces fatigue.

SmartCells Anti-fatigue runners maximize pain relief and are perfect for users who are too mobile for an anti-fatigue mat.

SATECH’s anti-fatigue products are built with industrial quality and combine features such as beveled edges and stability with style and elegance that blends perfectly in any room in the house. The SmartCells line anti-fatigue rubber mats come with an industry-leading 8-year warranty and are available in three different surface options (smooth, basket weave and carpet top) as well as three colors (Black, gray and light brown) and four sizes (2X3, 3X5, 24X68, and the 22” Octagonal).

SmartCells anti-fatigue solutions: I feel good

Is Jogging Really Bad for You?

Over the years, exercise trends such as Pilates, Tae Bo and Jazzercise have come-and-gone. However, one exercise trend people continually come back to is the practice of jogging.

In fact, according to Scarborough Research, nearly 57 million Americans went jogging or running for exercise in 2012. Additionally, nearly 15.5 million runners competed in more than 26 thousand running events across the United States that year.

Recently, a study by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), found that jogging up to two and a half hours weekly increases the life expectancy of men by 6.2 years and women by 5.6 years.

While jogging has been widely popular for it’s many health benefits, professionals have often debated whether or not it is more hazardous or advantageous for one’s health. One such hazard of jogging is the high amount of impact forces on one’s joints.

“I have run over 100 miles on the SmartCells Insoles and they feel great!” -Mike Miller

In their study, researchers from the ESC noted that in order to stave off the hazardous benefits of running, one should jog at a slow to average pace.

Another great way to reduce the impact forces of jogging is to utilize SmartCells personal training insoles.

The unique triple-action SmartCells cushioning technology can reduce impact stress on joints by up to 20% (using ATSM F355 – 10a).

SmartCells Personal Training Insoles easily slip into most shoes and come in two styles: a Standard flat style, for use with or without orthotics, as well as an Active Orthotic style that offers arch and heel support, personalized for size and designed for impact-related activities.

The family of SmartCells Personal Training products utilizes the same technology that has long been trusted by major companies as an anti-fatigue solution for their standing workers and, in senior living settings, as a solution to keep senior citizens safe from fall-related injuries.

SmartCells Personal Training: I feel good.

What Do Ear Plugs and Fall Protection Mats Have in Common?

According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), in 2012, the total cost of elderly fall injuries was over $36 billion and it is estimated that the cost will increase to $59.6 billion by 2020 as the population ages.

Considering the health and financial implications of even one fall-related injury it is easy to see why SATECH has long been an advocate for not only fall prevention but also injury prevention solutions for our vulnerable elderly population.

If you have been following our blog, you may recall that several weeks ago we started a four-part blog series discussing the top bodily factors that can affect the likelihood of a fall.

In that blog, we touched on how maintaining healthy eyesight is a great way to help reduce the risk of a fall. This week we will touch on the second bodily factor that affects the likelihood of a fall: hearing.

It may seem odd to some that impaired hearing can increase one’s likelihood of a fall but according to several fall prevention specialists, the sense of hearing is linked to several important cues that help maintain balance.

In fact, according to an article written by the American Academy of Otolaryngology, as we age our “Central Nervous System slowly deteriorates which causes the sensory cells in the ears’’ balance system to gradually decrease in number.” This loss of sensory cells greatly increases one’s risk of a fall.

The following tips are great ways to slow the effects of aging on your hearing and reduce your risk of falls:

  • Have regular check-ups with an ear specialist
  • Avoid excessive noise
  • When around excessive noise for extended periods of time use earplugs or earmuffs
  • Have an ear doctor remove ear wax build-up or use an at-home ear irrigation kit.
  • Refrain from using q-tips which generally push wax further into the ear
  • Be aware of the symptoms of hearing loss (i.e. trouble hearing conversations, having to turn the TV up so loud it bothers others, talking louder)

While maintaining the health and integrity of one’s hearing is an important factor in reducing the risk of a fall, it is also important to have precautionary measures in place like SmartCells fall protection mats and flooring.

SmartCells build-your-own-fall protection mat

SmartCells fall protection mats and flooring employ a unique dual-stiffness technology that provides a stable, safe surface for standing, walking, wheeling and transferring, while at the same time provide significant cushioning in case of a slip or fall.

SmartCells fall-protection mats are safe and elegant. They combine style and quality with molded-in beveled edges and allow wheeled objects to easily roll over them.

SmartCells fall protection mats are constructed of material that will not absorb liquid offering a practical solution to infection control issues. SmartCells fall-protection flooring acts as an underlayment for many choices of standard floor covering, so you won’t even know it’s there, until a fall occurs.

SmartCells Fall Protection: We’ll be there when you can’t be.

SATECH’s Do’s and Dont’s For a Successful Tailgating Party

The NFL playoffs are over and Seattle’s mighty Seahawks are on their way to another NFC Championship game.

The next few games are not only important for the players but also for the football fans who plan to tailgate at them. Much like NFL athletes who will spend all week in steadfast preparation for the big day, a successful tailgating party takes days if not weeks to plan.

The practice of tailgating started in the early 1900s and has evolved to include an estimated 50 million Americans who spend nearly $12 billion each year on tailgating activities. In fact, on Superbowl Sunday alone, Americans eat more food than any other day of the year except for Thanksgiving.

A successful tailgating party takes weeks to plan and prepare for including game day preparations and activities which generally begin more than 5 hours before the start of the game.

In order to help you prepare for the big game we have compiled a list of tailgating do’s and don’ts.

Don’t…

  • Forget the ice
  • Leave a mess
  • Drink and drive
  • Let pickup football games get out of hand
  • Be late
  • Forget your ID

 

Do…

  • Bring a meat thermometer to cook and store the meat at a safe temperature
  • Bring the appropriate amount of clothing
  • Bring plenty of gas or charcoal for the grill
  • Bring your own cups
  • Walk around and meet other fans
  • Anticipate bathroom breaks
  • Bring a SmartCells anti-fatigue STOP mat to stay comfy all day long

With its portable design and built-in hand holds the SmartCells anti-fatigue STOP mat makes the perfect surface to stand on while grilling and tailgating for extended periods of time.

The unique SmartCells® cushioning technology consists of a rubber surface layer integrated with an underlying array of cylindrical rubber cells that soften in response to surface pressure to provide maximum fatigue relief. The SmartCells act like springs that cushion as weight is applied and then rebound when the weight shifts, which returns energy and reduces fatigue associated with standing.

For tailgating activities where you are simply too mobile to enjoy the benefits of a SmartCells anti-fatigue STOP mat, there is also a line of SmartCells standard and orthotic insoles.

SmartCells Cushioning Technology: It’s not how the mat feels, it’s how YOU feel.

5 Great Ways to Maintain Eyesight and Reduce the Risk of Falls

According to statistics compiled by the MetLife Mature Marketing Institute, “falls are the leading cause of injury-related visits to the emergency room in the U.S. and the primary cause of accidental deaths (75 percent) in people over 65.”

Considering, a single fall can often lead to decreased independence, injury or even death, it is important to be aware of the potential factors that can lead to a fall.

Over the past year we have blogged on several topics relating to environmental and external factors that can be changed to reduce the likelihood of a fall and/or a fall-related injury such as home safety tips, how to fall, picking the right fall protection products and how to avoid dangerous areas in the home but we have rarely touched on the bodily factors that can affect the likelihood of a fall.

There are several bodily factors that can affect the likelihood of a fall including eyesight, hearing, feet and bones. This week we will cover the first topic of this four part series: eyesight.

Eyesight is perhaps one of the more widely known effects of aging. As we age it is normal for our eyesight to be negatively impacted. In addition to the normal effects of aging on our eyes, senior citizens are also at a higher risk of eye conditions such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma.

It is estimated that 24 million Americans over the age of 40 have a cataract in one or both eyes. These cataracts normally develop slowly and will eventually lead to blurred vision, sensitivity to bright lights and glare, and trouble seeing at night, and an increased risk of falling.

Another eye condition seniors are vulnerable to contracting is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Sufferers of AMD generally experience decrease and/or distortion of their central vision. This loss of central vision causes many AMD sufferers to rely on peripheral vision increasing their risk of falling.

Even though the degradation of vision is a normal part of aging, there are several steps one can take to help reduce the effects of aging on eyesight. Taking the following steps will not only increase eye health but also help reduce the risk of a potential fall.

  1. Maintaining a healthy diet
  2. Reducing screen time
  3. Keeping regular eye appointments
  4. Get enough sleep
  5. Exercise your eyes

While maintaining the health and integrity of one’s eyesight is an important factor in reducing the risk of a fall, it is also important to have precautionary measures in place like SmartCells fall protection mats and flooring.

SmartCells fall protection mats and flooring employ a unique dual-stiffness technology that provides a stable, safe surface for standing, walking, wheeling and transferring, while at the same time provide significant cushioning in case of a slip or fall.

SmartCells fall-protection mats are safe and elegant. They combine style and quality with molded-in beveled edges and allow wheeled objects to easily roll over them.

SmartCells fall protection mats are constructed of material that will not absorb liquid offering a practical solution to infection control issues. SmartCells fall-protection flooring acts as an underlayment for many choices of standard floor covering, so you won’t even know it’s there, until a fall occurs.

SmartCells Fall Protection: We’ll be there when you can’t be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SmartCells Personal Training: The Secret to New Year’s Resolution Success

The Christmas rush is over and if you’re like most, you’ve probably already begun reflecting on the last year and setting your resolutions for the upcoming New Year.

According to statistics compiled by the University of Scranton, in 2014 nearly 62 percent of Americans made resolutions for the New Year. By far, the most popular resolutions made in 2014 focused on individuals losing weight, living healthier lifestyles and maintaining healthy exercise routines.

Chances are, at one point or another; you have probably made a resolution to live a healthier lifestyle in the approaching year.

Unfortunately however, only 8 percent of people who make New Year’s resolutions are actually successful at keeping them. In fact, by the end of the first week, 29 percent of people who made resolutions will break them. That number rises to 36 percent by the end of January and by June more than half of people who made resolutions have broken them.

There are several reasons resolutions succeed or fail but as Confucius once said, “success depends upon preparation.” Prepare yourself for success this year with SATECH’s line of SmartCells Personal Training products.

The family of SmartCells Personal Training products utilizes the same cushioning technology that has long been trusted by major companies as an anti-fatigue solution for their standing workforce and, in senior living settings, as a solution to keep senior citizens safe from fall-related injuries.

Available in three different colors (Black, Light Brown, and Grey) as well as three different sizes (36”X60”, 52”X60”, 52”X88”), the remarkable SmartCells Personal Training mats are low profile (1/2”) and have molded-in beveled edges. For custom applications, SATECH offers custom-sized mats and a wall-to-wall flooring option that is perfect for in-home gyms and aerobics flooring.

Want to enjoy SmartCells Cushioning on-the-go?

Check out our all-new line of Zelus Insoles. Our insoles come in two styles (Simply SmartCells Cushioning and SmartCells Cushioning with arch support), and are biomechanically designed to reduce pain, improve performance and prevent future injuries. You can learn more about them at www.zelusinsoles.com.

SmartCells Personal Training: I feel good.