People fall over for all sorts of reasons – but when you are older and fall, we change the terminology – it is no longer “I fell over”, it becomes, “I had a fall”. People ask … have you ‘had a fall ‘ in the last year? and so on…. and suddenly, you feel your age.
But is it really any different to when you fell when you were younger? The answer to that question is no… and yes.
No, because you are falling for the same reasons people always fall -you tripped on something, you slipped on a wet floor, you didn’t see an obstacle, you weren’t concentrating on where you were going, etc. That is, there is always a reason for why people fall.
Yes, because there are a few more reasons for falling when you are older – painful joints, weakness in the legs and reduced balance to name a few. It is also different now because when you fall, it can be harder to get up again, and the results can be far more catastrophic. Bones can break more easily if they are weak, and you can become terribly fearful of falling again.
The good news is that there is an awful lot you can do to reduce your chances of falling… and to minimize the negative effects if you do fall.
This site is to help you get your head around it all … and introduce you to a mat to help you do something about it…
| Possible Causes | Solutions | |
|---|---|---|
| Tripped on an uneven terrain - tree root, uneven footpath. |
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| Slipped on a wet floor. | Slippery floor +/- Poor balance and/or poor reaction times. |
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| Tripped over an obstacle in walkway. | Unexpected obstacle. Poor reaction times and balance. | Keeps walkways clear. Minimise clutter. Check vision and lighting. Balance and reaction training. |
| Misjudged a step/depth/width etc . | Poor vision, multi lens glasses. Poor lighting. Poor leg strength/pain. | Visit optometrist - change to single lens glasses. Leg Strengthening and balance training |
| Felt faint/passed out. | Medical issue such as low blood pressure or medication side effect. Dehydrated. |
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| Didn't see an obstacle at all. | Poor vision. Distracted. | Get vision checked. Address lighting issues. Avoid distractions. |
| Something crashed into me. | Impaired vision. Unlucky. Distracted. | Get vision checked. Try not to multitask when mobilising. |
| Knees/hips gave way due to pain or weakness. | Muscle weakness and pain. Poor muscle control. | Leg strengthening exercises - visit physiotherapist for diagnosis. |
| Lost balance. | Poor balance. | Balance and strengthening exercises. |