The risk of falling introduces itself in a multitude of ways including deconditioned fitness levels, harsh external environments, or, what most of us are concerned about as we tack on another decade to our lives, the advancement of age and deterioration of balance. A foot catching the end of an area rug, slipping off of a curb while walking down the street in a poorly lit nighttime environment, or stumbling backward after getting up too fast from a seated position are a few examples of falling scenarios are a few examples of common instances in which falls occur.
As a human topples over and rapidly drops to the ground from a vertical position, the impact of colliding the body onto the ground produces an impressive jolt of energy that travels through the skin, muscles, bones, and nerves which can cause significant damage. Walking away with a few scrapes and bruises after a tripping and falling event is a blessing. In more extreme cases, the body can endure broken or dislocated bones, injured spines and hips, or a percussion injury to the cranium. Appreciating the contributing factors to how falling can impact our well-being shouldn’t be understated. Therefore, it’s worthwhile to understand the dynamics of falling and reinforce the body to prepare for a falling situation.
Suboptimal posture produced by weak core muscles and suboptimal lower extremity strength can cause the body to slouch forward and cause feet to drag off the ground. As feet scrape across the ground through normal walking strides, the possibility of catching the bottom of the foot on an object on the ground increases. If the feet drag onto the ground normally, it’s only a matter of time before the front part of the foot hits an object and impedes the normal walking path of that individual. As the bottom half of the body is stationary and the top half still has its momentum going forward, the top half of the body launches forward since the lower extremities act as a stationary point. This can lead to a face-first fall to the ground. Identifying techniques to decrease the risk of falling and learning how to fall correctly are critically important tactics to apply to a human’s everyday life so the repercussions of a fall aren’t catastrophically severe.
We can’t necessarily control what objects are placed in front of us as we performing our usual everyday activities. However, we can control our body’s ability to function optimally in rigorous environments such as wet and icy weather, uneven pavement, or unexpected objects impeding our normal walking path. One of the best ways to mitigate the effects of falling is to consistently practice rituals of strength and conditioning for the core, hips, knees, and ankles. Without going into how to identify, step over, or recover from presentations of tripping and falling, a body that consistently practices managing productive physical stress through a strategically designed exercise program is more likely to maintain a coordinated and athletic potential that can adjust to recovering from falling situations. For example, an individual who performs squatting, stepping, and plank movements has strong legs and a torso that stands in good posture. This status of strong lower extremities and strong spinal and core stabilizers produces a body that stands upright and pick the feet up off the ground.
Tripping and taking a fall can happen in an instant. In other words, a fall can be impossible to predict. However, if one can identify in that split second that a loss of balance or tripping situation is occurring, it’s worthwhile to take evasive maneuvers so the body doesn’t take significant damage. A few techniques that can decrease the severity of falls can include:
- Try to avoid falling with an outstretched arm: A natural response to falling backward is to reach the handout and hold the body up to decelerate the body from hitting the ground too hard. While it’s true the outstretched arm absorbs the force of the fall, the result of an outstretched arm with the entire mass of the body can result in a broken wrist, dislocated elbow, or worse. If possible, try to maneuver the body to the side of the body to land in a sliding motion on the armpit, side of the torso, and side of the hips.
- Use your forearms to decelerate a face-first fall: If a fall occurs in which the body is propelled in a face-first motion after a tripping incident while moving forward, one of the worst injuries that can occur is the head hitting the ground. An immediate impact of the face and cranium striking the ground can result in a broken nose, chipped teeth, or serious head trauma. If falling forward is identified and corrective action can be applied, put both elbows in front of the face and prepare to absorb impact utilizing the forearm bones.
It might be worthwhile to seek out a professional such as a physical therapist, skilled fitness professional, or advanced aging health practitioner for lessons. Learning how to fall is an invaluable form of education to prepare for potential tripping and falling instances. Predicting a fall is like trying to predict exactly what days it’s going to rain a year from now. However, if an increased likelihood of falling is a risk factor, the best we can do is prepare and equip ourselves with a body that can avoid falling situations, and, in the event that a tripping and falling scenario occurs, intervene with tactics that can avoid serious injury.
Sean McCawley, the founder and owner of Napa Tenacious Fitness in Napa, CA, welcomes questions and comments. Reach him at 707-287-2727, napatenacious@gmail.com, or visit the website napatenaciousfitness.com.
