About this topic
Falling is very common among older adults. A fall can be scary and embarrassing. Some falls can cause injuries. Some injuries may be minor, such as bruising or a small cut. Other injuries can be serious and life threatening. If you fall while you are alone, getting up off the floor can be very challenging. ‚
General
If you do have a fall, try not to panic. Stay calm and take slow, deep breaths. If someone is nearby, call for help right away. If you have an emergency alert system, go ahead and activate it. Try to figure out if you are injured. If you are injured badly, trying to get up can make things worse. If you do not think you are hurt badly, come up with a plan to get up off the floor. ‚
- Find a piece of sturdy furniture such as a couch or chair. Move your body over to the furniture either by scooting, crawling, or rolling. Make sure to do all these movements very slowly. If you feel any sharp pains while you are doing this, you may need to stop.
- Once you are close to the furniture, roll onto your side. Pull your knees up towards your chest and try to get into an all fours position on your hands and knees. Put your hands on the seat of the chair or sofa.
- Bring one leg forward so one foot is flat on the floor. If you have a stronger leg, bring the stronger leg forward.
- Now, try to stand up. Once both feet are on the ground, slowly pivot and lower yourself to sit down on the seat.
What problems could happen?
Making an injury worse when trying to get up ‚
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- If you have trouble with walking or balance, always use a device such as a cane or walker for safety.
- Talk to your doctor if you are having falls or near falls. Your doctor may send you to physical therapy to work on balance, walking, and strength. Ask your doctor if any of your drugs could be causing you to feel dizzy or to fall.
- Keep your house free of clutter. Remove throw rugs and electric cords from floor areas.
- Take extra care when walking if you have pets. It is easy to trip over a pet.
- Make sure the lighting is good in your house so you can see where you are going. If you need to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, always turn the lights on so you can see where you are going.
- Stay active and work out to keep your muscles strong and flexible. Keep a healthy weight so there is not extra stress on your joints.
- Eat a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones strong.
- Wear sturdy shoes. Avoid wearing slippers or shoes that may allow your foot to slide out the back.
- Be careful when getting in and out of the shower or bath tub. Consider using a nonslip mat or strips on the floor of the shower or bathtub. Make sure that the floor is dry. Grab bars near the tub may help prevent a fall.
- Do not try walking if you are dizzy. Keep your eyes open if you are dizzy and focus on one object. Once the dizziness goes away, walk slowly.
- If your vision is poor, make sure you put your glasses on before trying to walk.
Helpful tips
- Think about wearing an alarm device that will bring help in case you fall and cant get up.
- If you live alone and you do not have an emergency alert system, always carry a cell phone or portable phone with you when getting around the house.
- Keep emergency numbers in large print near each phone.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00098 ‚
NIH Senior Health ‚
http://nihseniorhealth.gov/falls/ifyoufall/01.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚