Fall Prevention
Keeping you on your feet
By Vanessa Ohnes, MD, Texoma Medical Center, Texoma LIVING WELL Magazine
Changes are normal as we get older: eyesight and hearing decline, reflexes slow down, coordination diminishes and muscles get weaker. We’re not as agile to avoid a fall. For seniors, falls can result in serious injuries that may require a trip to the hospital or even threaten your ability to live on your own.
Falls and mobility disorders are common problems that can cause bone fractures because osteoporosis (weak bones) affects one in four women age 60 or older and nearly half of all people over the age of 75. Medical conditions like heart disease, low blood pressure, or arthritis can also affect balance. Often, we’re not even aware of the hazards we have right at home.
Common causes of falls and simple solutions
If you have weak legs, unstable walking, or trouble keeping your balance, your doctor can recommend an exercise program. Low-impact exercise, water aerobics, Tai Chi (a gentle form of Chinese exercise shown to improve balance), and walking are good. Exercise daily to keep muscle tone, flexible joints and help prevent osteoporosis. Your physician might recommend physical therapy if you have a previous injury or if the use of a cane or a walker is new to you.
Combine calcium-rich foods in your diet (milk, yogurt, cheese, fish and shellfish, broccoli, soybeans…) with vitamin D to improve calcium absorption. Even though vitamin D is formed naturally in the body after exposure to sunlight, you may need a supplement.
Poor vision can cause mobility issues. Be sure to get an annual eye exam (or more frequently if your doctor recommends). Vision issues can alter depth perception and peripheral vision. And keep your eyeglasses clean to help prevent a fall.
Certain medications may increase the risk of falling. Make a list of your medications—prescription and over-the-counter. Review this list with your doctor at least once a year. If you have changes to an existing medication, or a new medication is prescribed, be sure your doctor sees the entire list again.
Your home can be a cause of falls. Poor lighting, loose rugs, and objects or furniture in walking paths are hazards. Relatively minor changes can help prevent injury. Small changes like light switches at both ends of stairs and hallways can help.
Falls can be prevented in your daily activities, too. Get up slowly after lying down or resting. Sit down if you feel lightheaded. Stop and rest if you feel faint. Wear rubber-soled, low-heeled shoes that fit securely. Limit your use of alcohol.
If you do fall, even if there appears to be little or no injury, call your doctor. If you have pain, call 911 and seek immediate treatment. Even with a hip fracture, it’s possible to get up, but you risk further injury. Your doctor or emergency department physician will examine you and may request tests.
Remember, a fall might be a symptom of a hidden condition. Tell your doctor about falls and any concerns about walking or balance. And after a fall, make it a priority to find out what caused it. Together with your physician, a plan can be developed to reduce or prevent future events and keep you safe.
Vanessa Ohnes, MD, is with TexomaCare-Internal Medicine/Geriatric Medicine. To learn more about Ohnes and other physicians at TMC, call Direct DoctorsSM Plus at 903.416.DOCS (3627) or go online to texomamedicalcenter.net.
Information is provided for educational purposes only, and is not intended to constitute medical advice or to be relied upon for the treatment of any particular condition. If you have concerns or questions about specific symptoms that may affect your health, please contact your healthcare provider. Physicians are on the medical staff of Texoma Medical Center, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Texoma Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians
