One Fall Away From The Doctor: (Preventing Falls)

I was called yesterday that my uncle had a hip fracture after falling from a ladder while trying to paint his home. He was taken to the hospital and is still receiving treatment but then, when I was first told, the first thing that came to mind was how he fell?

This is because the majority of fractures, especially the ones associated with the hips, are caused by falling. So, how do we prevent falling or minimize dangerous falls that could lead to injuries? First, about 30% of people over the age of 65 will fall at least once a year. Falls can lead to different types of fractures and dislocations in the hip, wrist, shoulder, spine, or ankle. In the case of an emergency, falls can lead to several types of injuries including one that could be fatal like a head injury.

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There is an increased risk of falling after a previous fall that led to a visit to a hospital, especially one where the patient had a surgery and the majority of people who suffer a fall that's accompanied by trauma tend to move from an independent lifestyle to a dependent way of living.

First, I will say exercise and attending programs designed by orthopedics to help with fitness. When the body is active and always at alert, the risk of falling and associated injuries is usually reduced. Witb exercise also, it helps reduce obesity as increased BMI can be a factor for increased risk of falling as well as the severity of the fall.

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This one is for the old and elderly but can be very useful for young people as well. Ensure your home is safe to prevent falling. I visited a friend’s house and the tiles he used for his floor were slippery when it rained and unlucky for me, I visited the day it rained. I had to watch my step, and thank goodness I was putting on a show with grips and not heels. Having an uneven floor, a slippery floor, throw rugs, and so on that can aid in falling should be resolved.

Another reason people fall often is using medications that affect their visual orientation causing dizziness, or blurred vision and instead of sleeping or resting, want to do things. When taking medications like sedatives, blood pressure meds, and sleeping pills, it is advisable to be on your bed or your rocking chair because it is going to interfere with your steps and increase your risk of falling.

Vision and hearing are also big factors when talking about falling. Poor sight and hearing increase the risk of falling. So people who have poor sight and hearing issues should rely on a support system to prevent them from tripping and falling. Using assistive devices can help prevent falls. Instead of stigmatizing assistive devices, encouraging their use will help a lot of people prevent falls that are preventable.

Read More

• https://osteoporosis.ca/oc-blog/the-importance-of-fall-prevention-in-reducing-the-risk
• https://www.sahealth.com/healthy-living/health-education/osteoporosis-falls-and-fractures
• https://www.nebraskahipandkneesurgeon.com/health-and-safety-orthopaedic-hip-knee-specialist-omaha-nebraska/
• https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/falls-and-falls-prevention/falls-and-fractures-older-adults-causes-and-prevention
• https://osteostrategy.on.ca/courses/fracture-journey/lessons/fall-prevention-and-fractures/
• https://jhpn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41043-023-00361-x
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2793090/
• https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/falls-and-falls-prevention/falls-and-fractures-older-adults-causes-and-prevention