Falls are a leading cause of injury for people over 65 and pose an increasing risk to people over 50. The potential for harm is so high that as many as one million people a year end up hospitalized from a fall, more than one-third of them with broken hips.
“Our balance starts to decline naturally as we age, so we start to become more of a fall risk,” says Pam DiGiovanna, a physical therapist with Tidelands Health Rehabilitation Services.
Along with broken hips, falls can also break wrists and shoulders, resulting in trips to the emergency department.
How can you assess your own risk of being injured in a fall? Here are a few simple things to consider:
From approximately age 50 onward, changes in our bodies, such as a loss of muscle mass and bone density, increase the risk of falls. Staying active, walking and exercising can strengthen both our bodies and our sense of balance, reducing the risk of taking a harmful tumble.
Our ankles deserve special attention because they are the first joints that ensure our sure footing.
“Any noticing of instability is worth looking at,” DiGiovanna says.
Some medications can raise the potential for a fall because they can lead to low blood pressure or dizziness. Health conditions such as diabetes can lead to nerve damage in the feet, making it more difficult to guarantee we are on solid footing when we walk.
Age-related neuralgia and obesity can also affect our ability to feel our body’s position in space, a concept known as proprioception. Obesity or any other condition that makes it difficult to care for your feet can contribute to fall risks.
A house filled with clutter, particularly things scattered on the floor, is just waiting to trip someone. The same goes for loose rugs and the transition points between carpeted floors and wood or tile flooring.
And if you need to walk around your house at night, DiGiovanna recommends turning on the light to help you navigate.
“Sometimes it’s just about paying attention,” DiGiovanna says. “And decreasing clutter so that you’re not having to walk awkwardly between things.”
If you’ve already had a minor fall, now is a good time to speak with your physician to assess your potential for future falls. Physical therapists can do that assessment with a series of tests designed to evaluate your ability to move and balance, starting with checking your ability to stand on one foot.
Beyond those tests, there are ways to strengthen your lower body and improve your balance to reduce your risk of a fall-related trip to the hospital, DiGiovanna says.
“If you lose your balance without a direct cause or have near falls or stumbles more frequently, it’s time to get checked out,” DiGiovanna says.