Patient Education

Preventing Falls

Did you know that falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among people 65 and older in the United States? And the risk of falls and injuries such as fractures increases as you get older.

At the Geriatric Fracture Center, we know that many of the broken hips, arms, and other types of fractures we treat every day can be prevented. Here are some tips and suggestions that can help:

Fall-Proof Your Home

• Be sure your home is well lit, so you can see things you might trip over.
• Use nightlights in your bedroom, bathroom, hallways, and stairways.
• Remove throw rugs or fasten them to the floor with carpet tape. Tack down carpet edges.
• Don't put electrical cords across pathways.
• Have grab bars put in your bathtub, shower,and toilet area.
• Have handrails put on both sides of stairways.
• Don't climb on stools and stepladders. Get someone else to help with jobs that call for climbing.
• Wear shoes with non-skid soles (not house slippers).
• Don't wax your floors at all, or use a non-skid wax.
• Have sidewalks and walkways repaired so surfaces are smooth and even.

Take Good Care of Your Health

• Have your eyes checked every year for vision changes, cataracts, glaucoma, and other eye problems.
• Have your hearing checked every two years or anytime you or others think that you can't hear well.
• See your doctor if you have foot pain or corns, or if you can't trim your toenails well. Sore feet can make you fall.
• See your doctor right away if you feel dizzy, weak, or unsteady on your feet, if you feel confused, or if you fall.
• Let your doctor know if a medicine is making you feel dizzy or making you lose your balance.
• If your doctor wants you to use a cane or a walker, learn how to use it and then use it all the time.
• When you get up from bed during the night or in the morning, sit on the side of the bed for a minute or two before you stand up. This will give your blood pressure time to adjust, and you will feel less dizzy.

Keep Your Body in Good Shape

• Get regular exercise; walking is especially important.
• Do exercises to strengthen the muscles you use for walking and lifting.
• Don't smoke.
• Limit your alcohol intake.
  

Learn More

• Locking plate technology dramatically reduces the chances that a fracture repair will fail.
• Dynamic Helical Hip System makes repair of hip fracture a reality for elderly patients who previously were not good candidates for procedures using conventional hip screw technology.