Unfortunately, falling becomes more common as you age. But, most falls are preventable and don’t have to become inevitable as you get older. The fear of falling shouldn’t discourage you from living your usual lifestyle, especially once you nail these tricks of falling the right way so you can avoid injury the next time you feel yourself losing your balance.
The Facts About Falling
Studies show that a person’s chances of falling increases once they reach the age of 65. Globally, 1 in 3 people over 65 fall at least once a year. Additionally, one fall makes a person two to three times more likely to fall again, increasing their risk of serious injury. An article written by Jen Murphy, a fitness columnist in the Wall Street Journal, states that falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related death in Americans over the age of 65.
To lower the risk of falling, it is important to work on strength and balance training. But, even with stronger muscles and improved balance, a slip or tumble could still occur. Some other reasons for falling at an older age could be due to weakened eyesight or poor hearing, which are normal changes that come with aging.
Additionally, some side effects of medicines could cause an imbalance, instigating falls. Historically, medicines for depression, high blood pressure, sleep problems, diabetes, and heart conditions have made people unsteady, increasing their chances of falling. Taking four or more medicines at once or changing medicines regularly can also be a reason for the occasional stumble.
Despite these facts, it is important not to let the fear of falling impact your quality of life. Multiple falls can make people fearful of leaving their homes, making them less active and resulting in a loss of muscle power and balance, which is essential for seniors to have.
Falling the Right Way
All hope is not lost if you are prone to falling! The least you can do is learn about falling the right way, so you can avoid or decrease your risk of injury or injury-related death.
When you’re falling, a natural response is to reach your hands out to break the fall. This often results in a broken or sprained wrist, so this urge should be resisted. Instead, you should focus on protecting your head by tucking your chin to your chest and rolling to the side in a ball on the ground.
The four most important things to remember as you start to fall are:
- Keep your elbows and knees bent
- Protect your head, no matter which way you fall
- Land on muscle, like your back, rear, or thighs
- Keep falling by rolling
Keeping your elbows and knees bent results in a softer impact. Becoming rigid increases the chance of injury. In any fall, protecting your head is most important, because a head injury is worse than broken arms or legs. Always attempt to curl up into a ball and keep your head tucked and covered by your arms.
Landing on muscle also decreases the chances of breaking a bone, and rolling allows you to spread the impact of the fall across a larger part of your body. A natural response is to try and stop the fall as soon as you hit the ground. It is important to let the fall happen and follow the four tips to mitigate your injuries and pain.
Another way you can prevent falls is by making your home safer. An article written for the American Family Physician Journal states many ideas for preventing falls in your home, like wearing shoes with non-skid soles and reducing the amount of clutter on the floors. It could also be useful to install grab bars in the bathroom and shower and handrails in the stairways.
Always keep your home well-lit, especially during the night by putting night lights in each room. It is best to avoid climbing on stools or ladders because they dramatically increase the risk of injuries from falling.
Visit your eye and ear doctors each year for any vision or hearing changes, and see your doctor immediately if you fall or suddenly feel dizzy, unsteady, or confused. Getting regular exercise, like walking, is an important factor in preventing falls, staying healthy, and getting in good shape. You should also do exercises to strengthen the muscles you use to walk and lift, avoid smoking, and limit your alcohol intake to stay healthy.
Don’t feel overwhelmed, Body Balance can help with all of these things! With a steady exercise and wellness routine, many people start to feel changes and big improvements in their lives in a matter of a few weeks. We teach all of our clients, especially seniors, about falling the right way so they can avoid injury if they start to lose their balance.
Finding Your Balance at Body Balance
At Body Balance, our top priority is, you guessed it, balance! For the past 25 years, we have worked with people of all ages, body types, and athletic backgrounds to improve their balance and achieve their personal fitness and wellness goals, which are unique to each individual.
Our talented group of certified athletic trainers, massage therapists, and nutrition and wellness coaches tailor services to each individual, pinpointing certain things a client wants to work on and teaching the proper movements to avoid injury. Whether you want to reduce falls, receive therapy and heal an injury, or train for the next Spartan race, we can help you develop a plan that best suits you.
No matter what your fitness and wellness goals are, having good balance will play a huge part in helping you improve your health, reduce injuries from falling, and reach those goals.
Murphy, Jen. “How Seniors Could Avoid Fall Injuries with a Martial-Arts Lesson – WSJ.” The Wall Street Journal, 13 Nov. 2023, www.wsj.com/lifestyle/fitness/senior-fall-injuries-health-judo-0df5c4c0.
“What Causes Falls in the Elderly? How Can I Prevent a Fall?” American Family Physician, American Academy of Family Physicians, 1 Apr. 2000, www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2000/0401/p2173.html.
Zimmerman, Michael. “Falling Safely: How to Fall to Prevent Injury.” AARP, AARP, 28 Nov. 2017, www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2017/how-to-fall-safely.html.
