A growing number of Democrats are growing increasingly concerned that President Joe Biden could fall and seriously injure himself ahead of the 2024 election, since he is prone to do so.
According to Axios, some are frustrated that aides allow Biden to simply wander off stages when he’s done speaking, claiming that makes it more likely he’ll run into something or trip.
Biden and his campaign have been taking precautions to prevent him from tripping in public due to concerns about his age, the outlet noted. To avoid slipping, Biden has been wearing tennis shoes more often and using shorter stairs when boarding Air Force One.
The incident at the US Air Force Academy commencement in June, where Biden stumbled over a sandbag, has led to frustration among senior Democrats who feel that the president’s team has not been guiding him properly after speeches, the report noted further.
Also, last summer, Biden fell off a bike he was riding near one of his homes in Delaware after he stopped to talk to a few supporters.
“This isn’t new — it was proactively and transparently disclosed in a 2021 report from the president’s doctor and again this year,” Andrew Bates, White House spokesperson, told the outlet. “This article fits an unfortunate pattern of media attempting to sensationalize something that has long been public, rather than covering the president’s very real achievements for hardworking Americans.”
Biden has been undergoing physical therapy sessions since 2021 to address his balance issues. These sessions, attended with physical therapist Drew Contreras, who also worked with former President Barack Obama, aim to improve his balance. The president’s physician has diagnosed him with “a combination of significant spinal arthritis” and “mild post-fracture foot arthritis” which have reportedly led to his problems with balance.
The report said that the president’s doctor has recommended “proprioceptive maintenance maneuvers” as a way for him to shore up his balance, but it’s not clear what the recommendation means, Axios reported.
“I have never heard the term ‘proprioceptive maintenance maneuvers.’ It is not a clinical term in standard use,” Prof. James Gordon, chairman of the Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California, told Axios.
Concerns about Biden’s age and his fitness to serve as president have become a significant concern among Americans. According to a recent poll, a significant 77% of Americans believe that Biden is too old to effectively run the country. Additionally, only 28% of Americans currently have confidence in Biden’s ability to inspire.
