By KELLY WILSON

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Bob Mays sits in a chair and picks up his feet as though he were marching. He rotates his ankles, one way then reverses it. He holds a small ball between his palms and squeezes. He pulls back on elastic bands hooked to a bar.

Mays, 86, does these and other exercises with personal trainer Lori Cornwell for 30 minutes four times a week at Cheryl Loatsch Studio in Quincy.

He started this regimen about two months ago at the urging of his wife, Anne, and his physician, Dr. John Scott.

Mays took a nasty fall in November 2006, tumbling down a staircase backward after losing his balance. He broke three ribs and strained a dozen more.

"That threw me out of kilter for a long time," he said.

Although he completed physical therapy, he still had trouble functioning with ease, he feared that he might fall again and started to develop a negative attitude.

But after working with Cornwell, he feels like a new man.

"He felt old. He doesn't feel old now," said Cheryl Loatsch, owner of Cheryl Loatsch Studio. "Lori is the person who is carrying through with what he needs in his daily life to function the way he wants to function. Mental clarity improves also, and emotional attitude."

Cornwell says the exercise has helped his posture because they've worked on core strengthening. She's also helped him develop leg strength and flexibility and improve his range of motion, gait and coordination.

"A series of simple exercises can make a huge difference in a person's life," Cornwell said. "And everybody can do something. But it needs to become a part of their lifestyle. It's not a quick fix."

A regular exercise program is essential not only for post-rehabilitation after a fall, but also is a key way for the elderly to prevent falls.

About one in six Americans age 65 and older reported falling in the past three months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A third of those people sustained injuries that required a doctor's visit or restricted their activity for at least a day.

Among that age group, falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma, and nearly one-third of older adults suffer from some type of fall each year.

"The majority of the time at home, they've tripped over a throw rug, so we talk about getting the throw rugs up and getting the carpet tacked down, about putting night lights in the hallways or near the bathroom," said Donna Gail, adult nurse practitioners at the East Adams County Rural Health Clinic in Golden.

"We review all their medicines to make sure none of their medicines are causing them to have dizziness or light headedness to cause them to fall," Gail said.

"The majority of falls are a result of muscle weakness due to inactivity," she said. "To help prevent fractures, we encourage them to take in more calcium to prevent osteoporosis. But getting them up and moving is the biggest thing."

Gail encourages older adults to start an exercise program, eat nutritious foods, get regular eye exams, and to think about their environment to help prevent falls.

She also stresses the importance of telling a health-care provider when a fall occurs.

"Usually when the patient falls, they try to keep it to themselves. They don't want anybody to know about it," Gail said. "But falling is not a part of growing older. Don't be afraid to talk about it, and get some help before it's too bad."

Mays didn't know he suffered broken and sprained ribs until a couple months after his fall when he got a bone scan.

"I recommend anyone with a fall to do a full bone scan," Mays said. He also encourages older adults to remain active and to seek the help of a professional such as Cornwell.

"When I walk, I feel like I'm gliding now," Mays said. "I'm more confident as I move. Things as simple as moving the covers around on my bed are easier now."

He recently hit 20 golf balls on a Sunday afternoon for the first time in about seven years.

As a real estate agent, Mays encounters stairs regularly, and because of the work he's done with Cornwell, he no longer fears walking up or down steps.

"He walks with more confidence," Cornwell said. "It shows in his stride."

-- kwilson@whig.com/221-3391