Am I At Risk For Falls?
2 CommentsA fall is something that nobody wants to experience. They can leave us or a loved one with bruises, scrapes, broken bones and worse. But how do we know if we are at risk for falls? Answer the questions below to see if you are someone that is at a higher risk for falls and learn the resources available to help prevent a fall from occurring.
Q: Have you fallen in the last 12 months?
Research has shown that if you have had a fall in the past 12 months you are more likely to fall again.
Q: Are you 65 or older?
The CDC has found that 1 out of 4 older adults is likely to have a fall. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries according to the CDC.
Q: Are you afraid of falling?
It has been shown that people that are afraid of falling are more likely to fall than those that are not.
Q: What kind and how many medications are you taking?
There are lots of different medications that can cause side effects, such as dizziness or low blood pressure, that could lead to a fall. These include opioids, sedatives, diuretics and more. Taking more of these medications can lead to the risk of possible interactions that put you at higher risk for falls as well.
Q: Do you get dizzy when standing up?
Getting dizzy when standing up could be something known as orthostatic hypotension. This means that your blood pressure decreases with changes in position where your heart has to adjust to pumping harder due to gravity. This can cause momentary dizziness when first getting up, leading to an increased risk of falls.
Our Team Is Here To Help!
If you have any questions about your potential risk of a fall or how to manage these risks, please contact your local Athletico Physical Therapy clinic and schedule a free assessment to talk with a movement expert who can help. Free assessments are available in-clinic and virtually through our telehealth platform.
*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.
The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.
2 Comments
Rae-Vinnette Lynn
I will be coming to you for bCK Pin but I also have balance issues. I am 77 years old and also have tricare for life. I live in Lee’s Summit and have used one of your facilities in the last year or two and would like go to that facility as it is close to home (there is a starbucks next door.
Eileen
I have a poor sense of balance. I recently had a hearing test given to me by my ENT doctor. I was told that my sense of hearing got slightly worse than the last time it was tested. In April when I was at work I was heading to the bathroom and I didn’t hear my supervisor honking the horn of the forklift and I was told by a different supervisor that I needed to be more careful but I didn’t see or hear the horn of the forklift and I was totally unaware of that incident and I was lucky that I was not hit by the forklift. I have a serious focusing problem. What should I do?