We All Fall Down

When we are young, we fall down as we are learning to walk and fall when we are learning to ride a bike and roller skate. Snowboarding and skydiving are thrilling activities to the risk taking teens. They are invincible and not afraid to fall. As we get older, we stop taking as many chances because we know that it hurts to fall down. We have all skinned our knees and elbows many times over. We learn to walk carefully over rocks and gravel to avoid twisting our ankles. We walk slowly down the stairs and do not barrel down them as we did when we were kids. Unfortunately, no matter how careful we are, we all fall down at one time or another.

According to the CDC, “unintentional falls are a threat to the lives, independence, and health of adults ages 65 and older”. Elderly people fear falling because as we age, our bones become more brittle. More than 90% of hip fractures are the result of a fall. Most people who fall develop a fear of falling that may cause them to limit their activities. The CDC has developed brochures with tips on how to prevent falls and a safety checklist for home fall prevention. They are available from the CDC Web site.

Although I am not yet elderly, I recently had an unexpected fall. Regrettably, I stopped myself with my face. A fall from 5 foot 5 inches high onto a hardwood floor is definitely something I want to avoid in the future. There are many things that I can do to prevent falls, and even ways to fall safely, but I think I will just be sure to be more cautious, because I know falling on the floor is very hard!