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Abstract
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Dear editor
The COVID-19 has led that most countries impose lockdown or quarantine and several mobility restrictions that affect the physical activity levels of older adults, increasing sedentary behavior and physical inactivity [1]. In addition, even if the quarantine and restrictions are lifted, the access to physical exercise in older adults may be limited in the absence of a vaccine protecting this population due to fear of contagion. Much of them decline participation in physical exercise because they want to thereby avoiding contracting the COVID-19 (fear to close contact with other participants or to touch the material or equipment) [2]. As consequence, physical health in older people is negatively affected during the confinement caused by this pandemic [3].
Falls are common and may lead to deleterious effects in health among older adults [4]. Physical inactivity may increase and exacerbating the risk of disabilities and it is one of the risk factors leading to falls [5]. On the contrary, physical activity exercises have the potential to significantly reduce fall rate and risk in healthy older adults [6]. The evolution of this virus is unknown and the end of this pandemic can be extended during several years [7], and therefore, lockdowns, restrictions, and social distancing may stay for a long time while an effective treatment or vaccine arrives. This may affect the physical activity levels and as a result, it may lead to a higher risk of falls and incidence of disability in the near future in older people [1]. For this reason, we hypothesize that in the coming months and years there will be a substantial increase in the number of falls in older adults as consequences of less physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. This fact will lead to an increase in deaths and disabilities...
Language: en |