In the world of physical therapy, fall prevention is a widely discussed topic, but it’s vital that it’s not just therapists who are discussing it!
Falling is a huge fear for many older adults, and understandably so. There are so many horror stories revolving around a terrible fall, which usually end in tragedy.
We all want to do our best to ensure that we and our loved ones don’t have a fall.
Unfortunately, falls do occur, so this article will not only discuss fall prevention strategies, but also decrease risk of injury with a fall.
#12 Clear Up Clutter
While placing the old newspapers by the door for your grandson to recycle for you may seem like a good idea, be aware that clutter like that can also cause a fall.
Making your house spotless is not required. The goal is to make sure there isn’t any unnecessary things lying around, particularly around doorways or stairs.
Even if you don’t think you have clutter, take some time to look around your house. Do the dog’s toys lay all over the house or do you have a designated dog bed or basket for them? Do you put your shoes out of the way or do they just stay somewhere in your living room, depending on where you last took them off?
These seemingly little things add up quickly when it comes to fall prevention.
#11 Throw Out the Throw Rugs
Okay, before you stop reading, hear me out on this one!
I know many people love a decorative rug to add warmth or a homey quality to their homes, and I get that rugs do provide those things.
However, many people believe rugs (particularly the small throw rugs) that can be easily moved from one area to another are actually making their homes safer. Rugs do not serve this purpose.
In my experience, rugs tend to cause more falls than prevent falls
It’s very, very easy to catch a foot or assistive device (like a walker or cane) on the edge of a rug and trip and fall.
Having one rug that has good grip on it outside of the tub or shower can be helpful to fall prevention on a tile surface, but having rugs throughout hallways and in multiple spots in the bathroom are likely increasing your risk for falls.
If you can’t part with your throw rug, make sure you have proper grip underneath it, and be aware they’re easy to trip over. Also, if you use a front-wheeled walker, make sure you lift the back posts over the edge of the rug so they don’t catch.
#10 Turn on the Light (Especially at night)
A dimly lit room, or worse yet, a dark room can severely impact our balance.
Our brain relies on our inner ear, the ability to sense our body’s position, and our vision for proper balance.
When there’s not enough light, we are impairing 1/3 of the resources our brain needs to keep us upright.
Turn on a light when you get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
I know it is likely to make you feel more awake, but do you know what can really wake you up? The feeling of the cold floor after a hard fall. Believe me, the light is the better way to go.
If you don’t want to wake your significant other, turn on the flashlight on your phone, or keep a flashlight on your nightstand to use. You can also use nightlights to light your path from your bed to the bathroom.
If other rooms in your house are dimly lit, change the lightbulbs (or ask someone to help you if you need to), get some standing lamps, or both.
#9 Protect Yourself from Pets
Now don’t get me wrong, I love my dog just as much (or more) than the next person, and I’m not saying having pets is a bad thing.
However, when thinking about fall prevention, pets don’t always serve as our best friends.
Having a pet that tends to get underfoot, or is highly rambunctious during a walk is a fall hazard.
Things you can do to improve fall prevention include utilizing baby gates to keep animals out of areas, like the kitchen, where you may not notice them underfoot.
Take your dog to training so you can learn how to get them to sit, lay down, and/or stay when someone comes to the door so they don’t knock you over amidst their excitement about a visitor.
If your dog pulls you when you’re walking, there’s also training for that. However, if training hasn’t worked, can you ask a neighbor or family member to walk the dog with you?
If your dog frequently comes out of their harness and you have to chase after them, ask your vet about the proper collar/harness/leash to prevent that from happening.
I know pets bring their owners tons of joy and that’s wonderful, but it’s really important to recognize the risk they can pose if they’re not properly trained or confined. Sadly, my own grandmother fell and broke her hip after her dog got loose on a walk.
Even the best pets can cause unintentional harm, and it’s up to us as owners to reduce the risk of having them in our homes.
#8 Listen to Your Body
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had clients tell me, “Well, I was feeling a little lightheaded before I stood up, but that’s normal for me, so I started to walk towards the bathroom, then I fell.”
That lightheadedness is an indication that blood hasn’t travelled all the way back up to the brain. Standing up and walking will not hasten that process!
If you’re feeling lightheaded, stay seated or take a seat. Drink some water if you have access to it, and allow for it to resolve before you get up.
Trying to push your body before it’s ready to be fully upright will very likely result in a fall.
A key to fall prevention is heeding your body’s needs, so take your time getting up.
#7 Review Your Medications with Your Primary Care Physician
Although it would be nice if all the medications prescribed by each of your doctors work well together ,without any negative reactions, that’s not necessarily the case.
Many times people are taking prescription medications from multiple doctors. The orthopedic doctor prescribed X and the primary care prescribed Y, Z, and V, and then the gastroenterologist prescribed B.
Then on top of that, you may be taking vitamins or supplements which could be interacting with your other medications.
Take a full list of your medications to your primary care physician and ask them about their drug-drug interactions, as well as any that could be increasing fall risk.
Sometimes just having this conversation about medications will allow for medications to be changed so they’re interacting more appropriately and supporting fall prevention.
#6 Strengthen Your Muscles!
You may be thinking, “Sure, of course the physical therapist is going to tell me this, but that’s their cure for everything.”
Well, it could be that there’s a method to our muscle-building madness!
Have you ever felt like your knee was going to buckle? Or maybe you felt like it was difficult to get off the floor after playing with your grandkids?
It’s the strength of our muscles that enable us to maintain our ability to stand and stay standing!
Building our strength, power (strength + speed) and endurance are all essential to ensuring we have the strength to do all of the activities we enjoy without our body giving out on us.
Click here to go to my YouTube channel, where you’ll find SO MANY exercise routines to help build strength, power, and endurance!
#5 Practice and Challenge Your Balance!
While it may sound counterintuitive to “challenge” your balance, the key to improving balance is to challenge it appropriately so gains can be made.
Balance is just like strength training. If you only lift two pound weights, you won’t actually get stronger.
Click here for a video from my YouTube Channel for exercises to improve balance.
#4 Know Your Fall Risk
As with all things, knowing you have (or don’t have) a problem is the first step.
Knowing your risk often comes with tools on how to address and decrease that risk as well.
Physical therapists have screening questionnaires and balance tests they can give you to determine your likelihood of falling within the next year or just your fall risk in general.
Fall screenings may even be offered for free in your area.
Oftentimes, senior centers or PT schools hold community events like this. Contact your local senior center or university or PT clinic to find out how you can get screened.
#3 Carry Your Phone With You
This tip is one that tends to be highly contested amongst my clients.
I’m going to generalize a little here, but bear with me. For the most part, younger generations, ranging from preteens to young adults have a tendency to carry their phones with them absolutely everywhere!
From the moment they wake up in the morning to the moment they go to bed at night, they know where their phone is.
While there is a call for younger generations to put down their phones and live more in the present moment, I would like to call for more older adults to carry their phones with them consistently- even around the house!
Many of my clients tell me, “I know where my phone is, so I don’t really need to carry it in my pocket.”
I would disagree with this statement. A fall is not always going to occur where you can easily get to your phone that’s on the kitchen counter.
Having a phone with you at all times can be the difference between getting help immediately and lying on the floor for hours.
If you don’t have a cell phone and you have a history of, or fear of falls, it may be a good idea to look into a medical alert device you can wear, so with the push of a button help is on the way.
If you’re averse to wearing an obvious, large button around your neck, know that there may be other options. There are so many devices available on the market today that are much more discreet! Check out a list of medical alert devices/plans here.
Even the Apple Watch has a feature that can detect a fall and prompts you to call for emergency services if needed. Check that out here!
#2 Have No Fear
Okay, so maybe not “no fear,” but decreasing your fear of falling is actually very important!
When people have and maintain a fear of falling, their tendency is to avoid movement. The idea is “If I don’t move, then I can’t fall.”
Unfortunately, this is untrue. In fact, those who have a fear of falling are more likely to fall, because when the time comes that they really need to get up they don’t have the strength and then a fall occurs.
Help decrease your fear of falling by following all of the tips in this article to stay active, strong, and improve balance.
#1 Get Down to and Up from the Floor- Every Day!
There’s a reason this is #1!
My guess is that most of you read this and thought “I don’t have to do that, I know I can get up from the ground.”
If you had that thought then you 100% need to do this every single day!
Most people are so worried about the fall that they don’t realize they could decrease their fear of falling if they trained their muscles to be able to get back up.
Falling is not fun, but laying on the floor for hours may be worse.
Practice getting down to and up from the floor daily!
Click here for a video from my YouTube channel on how to do this safely and effectively!
