What if you do fall? Discover 7 practical steps to take after a fall, from staying calm and calling for help to taking extra precautions.
During Fall Prevention Week, there is a strong emphasis on preventing falls. Creating a safe environment, getting enough physical activity, focusing on balance and muscle strength, and addressing personal risk factors can all help reduce the risk of falling.
However, falls aren't always preventable. Anyone can trip, stumble, or lose their balance due to a stability or coordination problem.
That’s why it’s important to know not only how to prevent a fall but also what to do if one does happen.
Falls aren't always avoidable
There are various ways to reduce the risk of a fall. Consider improving your balance and muscle strength, having your vision checked, discussing your medications with a healthcare professional, and making your living environment safer.
However, a fall can still occur even if all possible precautions are taken.
The questions then become: What should you do in that moment? What can you do afterward?
7 things you can do after a fall
1. Make a plan in advance
If you’re at an increased risk of falling, it’s wise to think ahead about what you’ll do if it happens.
Keep your phone or personal alarm within easy reach. Talk to a family member, partner, or healthcare provider about who to contact if you need help.
Also, consider situations where you’re alone. Who can support you, and how can they reach you?
Having a simple plan in place can ensure that you won't have to figure everything out on your own in an unexpected moment.
2.Stay calm after a fall
A fall can be frightening. Try to stay calm for a moment and assess what happened.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- - Are you in pain anywhere?
- - Can you move your arms and legs normally?
- - Did you hit your head?
- - Do you feel dizzy, confused, or nauseous?
- - Can you move safely?
If you’re injured or unsure whether it’s safe to do so, don’t try to get up right away.
If you can't get up on your own or if you think you may have injured your head, neck, back, or hip, it's important to ask for help instead of trying to get up by yourself.
3. Take head injuries seriously
Did you hit your head during the fall? If so, take it seriously. A head injury can be serious, and some symptoms may not appear until later.
Seek medical help if you experience any of the following symptoms: loss of consciousness; a severe headache; trouble walking or maintaining balance; confusion; new weakness or numbness; trouble seeing or speaking; or other concerning symptoms.
Even if you’re taking blood thinners, exercise extra caution after a head injury. The CDC advises older adults to consult a doctor if they hit their head after falling. When in doubt, it’s always better to seek medical advice.
4. Review what happened afterward
A fall can also provide insight into potential risks you may not have noticed before.
For example, ask yourself:
- - Where and when did the fall occur?
- - Were you looking for something?
- - Was the area sufficiently lit?
- - Were you tired, dizzy, or distracted?
- - Was your balance or mobility different from usual at that moment?
- - Have you experienced something similar before?
Talk to a healthcare provider about falls if you’re concerned, especially if you fall regularly or notice changes in your balance or mobility.
5. Adjust your environment or routine
Sometimes, a fall reveals where a risk lies. You may need to remove a loose rug, install better lighting, or find safer indoor or outdoor routes.
You may also need to adjust your daily routine. For people at increased risk of falling, professional fall risk assessments and home environment modifications can be part of a broader approach.
The goal is not to eliminate every risk from daily life but rather to minimize unnecessary risks.
6. Stay active, even after a fall
After a fall, the fear of falling again can be significant. This fear may lead you to avoid daily activities or reduce your physical activity. Therefore, it is essential to focus not only on what went wrong after a fall but also on how you can safely continue participating in daily life.
A fall does not mean you have to stop being active. Physical activity contributes to mobility, balance, and muscle strength. The WHO recommends activities for older adults that focus on functional balance and muscle strength, among other things.
This does not mean that everyone has to do the same exercises. Choose activities that match your abilities, and consult a healthcare professional to determine which exercises are suitable for you.
7. Consider extra protection
There are numerous ways to prevent falls, but it’s impossible to predict them all.
If you are at an increased risk of falling, it can be helpful to consider not only how to prevent a fall, but also how to protect yourself if you do fall.
When the risk of head impact increases, protective headgear can serve as an additional safety measure. Ribcap offers head protection designed for everyday use. It provides extra protection for people at greater risk of head impact who want to better protect their heads during a fall. The models resemble standard beanies, caps, or hats, but they are made of shock-absorbing material.
Fall Prevention Week: Look Beyond the Fall Itself
Despite all precautions, a fall can still happen. What’s important afterward is knowing how to respond, when to call for help, and how to protect yourself as much as possible.
Effective fall prevention is about more than just avoiding a fall. It's also about being prepared and protecting yourself so you can continue to live as independently as possible.
Written by Nico De Wilde