Iris Goldfinch may be 95-years-old but she is intrepid as they come.

The first time she saw Arif Soomro, co-founder of Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic, she was 81-years-old and had just fallen off a ladder.

Well, she hadn’t just fallen - first she saw her GP, who diagnosed shingles followed by another consultation with a physiotherapist, but the treatment did nothing to relieve her pain and then her partner Kev suggested she visited Arif.

The clinic’s reputation for patient care was well-known, but Iris also liked the fact that it had all the latest equipment.

After listening to Iris, examining her and taking x-rays in the clinic’s computerised radiography department, Arif saw that she had two compression fractures in her mid-spine, and these were causing Iris acute pain, and her posture was compressing her chest limiting her depth of breathing.

The treatment plan would involve manipulation to promote healing and improve mobility, but at Iris’s age bones are more fragile which meant a gentle and consistent approach would be essential.

This is something the chiropractors at Cliffs are very experienced in as they are increasingly providing treatment for an ageing population. The x-rays also revealed that Iris had osteoporosis, so specific supplements and exercises were recommended that would help slow the loss of bone density.

“I wouldn’t be moving about today if it weren’t for Arif. I’ve been having regular chiropractic treatment for years, which was vital when I was caring for Kev,” says Iris.

Her partner had dementia and sometimes, while trying to help him, she’d trip over. Arif would be able to help her to carry on carrying on but, Arif explains, maintaining balance as we age is very important and we should all take action to manage those changes.

“When we enter our 80s and 90s the senses that guide balance: vision, touch and spatial awareness, may all start to deteriorate, and this can make us unsteady on our feet which can lead to falls,” said Arif.

The NHS estimates that around one in three adults over 65, who live at home, will have at least one fall a year, and about half of these will have more frequent falls. There’s always a risk that a fall could lead to broken bones, which can sometimes lead to a loss of confidence, so making the time to do regular exercises like yoga and tai chi, can really help to keep our sense of balance strong, and restore what’s already been lost.”

Arif and his team recommend that people in their 80s and 90s should never stop exercising and that there’s nothing better than 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (like a brisk walk where you’re not breathing so hard that you can’t carry on a conversation) five days a week.

“But you mustn’t neglect your upper body, lower body and core as you need to keep your whole body strong to avoid too much loss of muscle mass,” said Arif.

“Muscle loss can be extremely serious as coordination is affected by changes in muscle strength.

“Your gait changes and you lose the ability to balance, making you more likely to fall and fracture a hip or other joint.

“Weak muscles also make you feel exhausted, contributing to an overall feeling of fatigue. It’s a vicious circle, as this makes you less likely to maintain an active lifestyle. “

OK, so what if you’re finding it hard to get out of your chair, let alone think about jogging around the block?

Arif said: “Get medical advice from your chiropractor or GP who can help you take the small steps towards becoming more flexible and able to engage in a regular fitness routine.

“We all tend to have similar goals of remaining mentally sharp for as long as possible but, as cognitive decline is a great fear for many people in this age group, it’s important take up learning something new, like a language or a musical instrument, to keep our brains working hard.

“Crossword puzzles and sudokus that we’ve been doing for years won’t work here, we need to make new neural connections by taking on fresh mental challenges. Well, as it’s the New Year, what about a new challenge? Parlez-vous français?”

As absorption of vitamins and minerals is harder as we get older, so the choice of food for beating bone and back problems, becomes critical.

Canned fruit and vegetables are cheap and can provide good nutrition; examples are tinned sardines, tuna, pulses, carrots, apricots beans, pineapple. Experts recommend choosing fruit in natural juice. During the darker winter months you should consider taking a vitamin D3 supplement in fluid form.

Arif stressed: “The immune system becomes weaker with age – eating more zinc in the diet can help boost it.

“Good sources of zinc include meat and dairy products, whole grain cereals and pulses. You could also take 400iu of zinc, in supplement form, every day during the winter months.”

He added: “Constipation is a common problem; drinking plenty of liquids and eating baked beans, jacket potatoes, canned pulses and fruits such as apricots all help.

“Psyllium seeds and a large glass of water are a good laxative. A dessert spoon of olive oil every day will help ease bowel movements too.

“Keep your protein intake up, it should form about 20% of your calorie intake. Hard boiled eggs are a great snack or cook a chicken and keep it in the fridge for an easy meal.

“Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for heart health. Oily fish such as canned salmon and tuna are great, but something like smoked salmon for breakfast with scrambled eggs would be ideal.”