By Jane Brody in the NYT

Balance is something the body learns to do automatically by engaging the postural muscles.

Several times a day, whether I’m indoors or out, my bone doctor’s mantra reverberates in my head: “Do Not Fall!”

That might seem like telling the sun not to shine, but it does remind me that my balance is not what it used to be. I can no longer take for granted my ability to remain erect when moving about among a plethora of unexpected trip hazards — broken sidewalks, fallen branches, a dog on the loose. How can I keep from falling when I stumble?

Surely, I thought, there’d be helpful advice on the web. But after checking out dozens of postings on how I might improve my balance, I was more confused than enlightened. Most emphasized improving core and leg strength, which for me are already in good shape. Now what?

Then I learned of a new book with a title that echoed my bone doctor’s warning: “Falling Is Not an Option: A Way to Lifelong Balance.” The author, George Locker, a lifelong student of martial arts and teacher of tai chi, adapted the lessons of these ancient arts into an approach he has trademarked as “Postural Retraining.”

The goal is stability by increasing one’s downward force, and the examples Mr. Locker gave of surfers, skaters and skiers made perfect sense to me. I can easily recall my stable posture when I skated on ice or pavement or skied on water or snow: a semi squat with knees and ankles bent. Although I no longer attempt these sports at age 79, my ability to remain balanced and stable is more important than ever.

As reported last year in this newspaper, between 2000 and 2016, the mortality rate from falls among those over 75 more than doubled. Mr. Locker calls this “a medical problem without a medical solution.” Rare is the doctor who prescribes postures and movements that enhance balance and stability. Yet, these are health- and life-saving abilities that can be improved regardless of a person’s age by strengthening the body’s postural muscles.

But unlike building up arm or leg muscles, increasing the strength of postural muscles to improve balance is not something visible. It’s internal, something the body, not the mind, must learn to do, like learning how to balance on a bicycle. (Parents take note: Children don’t learn how to balance on a bike until the training wheels are removed!)

Ed Note: Should we in independent living be at the top of the line to get the Pfizer vaccine? Probably not. How about the politicians or company CEO’s? I think we all need to take a deep breath, wait for our turn based on risk based guidelines and continue with our public health measures. We should all have access in a few months. I’m glad that Trump has backed off his request for the West Wing to get early vaccine–perhaps due to the bad optics, much like they had with access to testing. Kudos to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla for deferring until it’s his turn.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Monday he hasn’t taken the COVID-19 vaccine yet — but only because he doesn’t want to be seen as jumping the line.

“I haven’t taken it yet and we are having an ethical committee dealing with the question of who is getting it,” Bourla told CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Bourla noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has agreed that front-line health care workers and nursing home residents and staff should be prioritized.

“Given that there are very strict allocation rules that the CDC has voted [on], we are very sensitive not to cut the queue and get vaccinated before,” Bourla said.

But he hasn’t ruled out getting the shot soon if it’ll improve confidence in the vaccine.

“People will believe much more [in the safety of the vaccine] if the CEO gets vaccinated,” he told CNN.

The first people in the US began receiving the vaccine Monday after the Food and Drug Administration granted the drug emergency use authorization on Friday.

Sandra Lindsay, a critical care nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, was administered the jab on camera — becoming the first in the nation to receive the shot.