by Elaine Gallagher, RN, PhD –
Just before Halloween on a rainy, dull, Sunday morning, I was rushing to get out the recycling, a bag in each hand. Suddenly my feet slipped and I flew into the air, coming down with a thud. I thought: “This can’t be happening to me.” I had spent much of my academic life studying falls and how to prevent them!
After being rescued, with a fractured elbow and pelvis, I thought about the many causes of falls and wondered how these factors contributed to mine. My behaviour that day put me at risk. I was hurrying and not paying attention to the wet slippery sidewalk. Other risky behaviors include climbing ladders or standing on kitchen chairs to reach shelves. Drinking alcohol or getting up too fast also puts a person at risk.
The environment was also a major factor in my fall: the walkway was slick with rain, moss, mildew and wet leaves. The lighting was poor because of the dreary day. Other environmental risks can be faulty stairs, the lack of appropriate handrails, and cracks in the sidewalk – especially small ones that aren’t clearly visible. Slippery rugs, wires, cords and glare all contribute to falls as well.
Exercise, or lack of it, puts people at greater risk of a fall. Indeed, my attendance at my Aquafit class had petered off and I was not in peak physical shape. Had I been, I might have been able to recover from the fall more easily and could have prevented injury when I fell. Exercise such as Tai Chi that promotes balance and muscle strength is known to reduce falls and related injuries.
Clothing and footwear also cause falls. I had on a pair of sandals with a raised heel and a slippery sole, but I knew that the best kind of footwear was firm-fitting shoes with non-skid soles. Others fall because they trip over a lengthy nightgown … we tend to shrink as we age. Taking diuretics (water pills) can cause one’s feet to shrink and the comfy bedroom slippers you once wore are now a sloppy hazard.
Health issues also contribute to falls: if you have high or low blood pressure, Parkinson’s disease, a stroke or other physical health challenges, you will be more likely to fall. I didn’t have any of those but I do have osteoporosis. While it didn’t contribute to the fall, it certainly did contribute to my injuries.
After I fell I tried calling for help. For 45 minutes I lay in the rain until a neighbour up the road heard me. An alerting device or even my cell phone would have enabled me to get help sooner.
So: bad choice of shoes, slippery walkway, poor muscle strength and osteoporosis … all factors leading to my injury. How has this changed my life?
I try to match my shoes to the weather. I have my walkway power washed. I exercise regularly. I take Vitamin D and calcium daily to strengthen my bones. I had a handrail put in my shower. I walk more slowly, paying attention to what’s ahead. Having had a fall, I am twice as likely to have another one and be seriously injured. All the knowledge in the world doesn’t prevent you from making mistakes –it’s only if you put it into practise that you can make a difference.
