You certainly can’t guarantee you’ll never be disabled, but maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help prevent some common disabilities.
Consider for a moment the impact a long-term or permanent disability would have on you and your family. Take a look at these eye-opening statistics:
- More than one in four of today’s 20-year-olds can expect to be out of work for at least a year because of a disabling condition before they reach the normal retirement age.1
- Over 40 million Americans are classified as disabled.2
- The average individual long-term disability claim lasts 31.2 months.3
How to prevent a disability
Musculoskeletal disorders, such as arthritis, back pain, and spine and joint disorders, are the No. 1 cause of long-term disabilities.4 It is important to try to take steps to prevent a disability from happening in the first place. Be proactive and:
- Protect against back injuries through proper stretching and lifting
- Use proper safety equipment for work or play
- Keep stress in check
- Get enough rest
You certainly can’t guarantee you’ll never be disabled, but maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help prevent some common disabilities. So be smart and protect your No. 1 asset… yourself. You can also help protect yourself and your family financially should you become disabled, by purchasing long-term disability insurance.
1 Social Security Administration, Disability and Death Probability Tables for Insured Workers Born in 1997, Table A (2017). https://www.ssa.gov/oact/NOTES/ran6/an2017-6.pdf
2 2017 American Community Survey. Total civilian noninstitutionalized population with a disability in the United States.
3 “The Average Duration of Long-Term Disability is 31.2 Months. Are You Prepared?” Council for Disability Awareness, 2016.
4 Council for Disability Awareness, Disability Statistics, March 2018. https://disabilitycanhappen.org/disability-statistic/