[mtdjed]

I have a balance issue caused by several issues including age. I go a health club to try to keep up arm and leg strength. All good but my doctors strongly recommend that I learn how to fall to minimize damage.

I recommend that all take that advice. Since a fall is unexpected; without knowledge you will follow instinct, which is often wrong.

Went to Utube and found many short videos about how to safely fall. Many of the instructions may be contrary to instinct, but they make sense. Primary messages are do not let your head hit the ground, do not expose joints to extreme pressure, bend your knees as you fall to limit the fall height, slap hands on surface at contact and don't land on joints (wrists, elbows, knees, shoulders) or hips.

Don't do what I write but get your own knowledge.



Do yourself a favor and check it out. You may be surprised.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by mtdjed

I have a balance issue caused by several issues including age. I go a health club to try to keep up arm and leg strength. All good but my doctors strongly recommend that I learn how to fall to minimize damage.

I recommend that all take that advice. Since a fall is unexpected; without knowledge you will follow instinct, which is often wrong.

Went to Utube and found many short videos about how to safely fall. Many of the instructions may be contrary to instinct, but they make sense. Primary messages are do not let your head hit the ground, do not expose joints to extreme pressure, bend your knees as you fall to limit the fall height, slap hands on surface at contact and don't land on joints (wrists, elbows, knees, shoulders) or hips.

Don't do what I write but get your own knowledge.



Do yourself a favor and check it out. You may be surprised.

The best way to avoid falling is to spend winters in Florida, ice is the worst. When we were young and fell, people would laugh and make fun of us. If we fall now, they panic and come rushing to our aid. This getting old thing sucks out loud!

[Whatnext]

I have fallen on a few occasions, mainly due to over striding on uneven ground, as with age, excess forward momentum gets harder to control. Luckily without major injury.
From experience, I would also recommend learning ways to get up unassisted as well.
As previously stated, old age sucks!

[Whatnext]

I have fallen on a few occasions, mainly due to over striding on uneven ground, as with age, excess forward momentum gets harder to control. Luckily without major injury. From experience, I would also recommend learning ways to get up unassisted as well. As previously stated, old age sucks!

[Sparky99]

Work with your dr.

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by Whatnext

I have fallen on a few occasions, mainly due to over striding on uneven ground, as with age, excess forward momentum gets harder to control. Luckily without major injury. From experience, I would also recommend learning ways to get up unassisted as well. As previously stated, old age sucks!

My wife summed it up about as well as I've ever heard it.

"Getting old is not for sissies".

It is good that we live in such a geezer-friendly community. The Villages is designed to minimize injuries to us retirees. I've heard more than one doctor say that with advancing age, falling is the most dangerous thing to our health: it doesn't necessary kill us but if we break something, then recuperation is long and challenging, often with serious complications. TV minimizes that risk. How many steps are in your (Villages) home? Or in any of the businesses? How many public restrooms DON'T have grab bars? I'll also bet that at least one bathroom in your home has a ground-level shower with grab bars. Most doorways (homes and businesses) are wider than what you'd find outside The Villages. And so on. Plus we have a wealth of recreational opportunities and activities available to us, many tailored to persons of advanced age that provide exercise with minimal risk. It all adds up. Statistically Villagers live an average of 3.3 years longer than Florida non-Villagers (80.5 years for TV'ers compared to 77.2 years for non-Villagers).

Good place to be.

[Bay Kid]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

The best way to avoid falling is to spend winters in Florida, ice is the worst. When we were young and fell, people would laugh and make fun of us. If we fall now, they panic and come rushing to our aid. This getting old thing sucks out loud!

Ice is terrible. I was still in Virginia during the ice storm last winter. I wouldn't go out because it was so slick. Florida is much safer.

[Michael G.]

Talk about getting old and don't realize it.

We went back to Wisconsin about a month ago
and stayed with friends with a two story house.

I never realized how hard it was walking steps.
Around Florida there's very few places with a lot of streps.

[djlnc]

Aaron Rodgers stuck his elbow out a couple times to break his fall. Broken collarbone anyone?