Saturday, April 2, 2016

THE RISK OF FALLING



There were many reasons why we fall. The degree of the fall depends on the distance it happened. Even misstep can cause you to fall especially if you are not aware of your awkward movement. You may get bruises, slight injury, broken bones or deadly fall. Falling was common to older people as the can no longer control their every movement due to weakness, lack of better perception and body coordination as well as his declining health.

A child will fall as he was still beginning to learn how to walk his own. He was put in the care of his parents attending him closely to avoid minor accident. Constant practice in walking will slowly give the child the idea to walk unsupported.

If our sense of balance is deteriorating and the reaction to the fall is slow, accident will follow. Awareness of the correct movement will save us to be hospitalized. Sight is also important to see clearly our steps due to sudden changes of the surface or you or we did not notice the hole or depression of the road we are walking. Good eyesight will keep us alert of many obstructions in our path. Presence of mind and good eyesight will prevent us to get injured.

Road accident  were common in our street because of the negligence of the driver by failing to see a pedestrian crossing in the street unaware of the passing vehicle bumped him head on putting his head to fall first on the paved road. Most often this kind of accident caused the victim to have head trauma with seriously broken bones.  He was in the state of coma not remembering what happened to him.

The percentage of death is higher. A careless movement put the family in danger. The extent of the injury is costly and medical care may be exhausted if not enough resources is available in longer period of recuperation and not even sure if he is lucky enough to be alive.

Aside from careless movement and lack of sense of balance, there are other instances that will trigger a man to fall. Taking medications and potent drugs designed for particular illness affects proper posture and distorts better perception.  Taking diuretics, sedatives and anti-hypertensive medicines can affect the psychological condition of the mind.

If you have poor vision, you can’t see clearly ahead. You bad eyesight was the result of the disease called macular degeneration or glaucoma by clouding your sense of sight. If you have stroke, it affects sense of balance and your ability to walk properly. It weakened your feet. You can’t stand erect and lack of muscle conditioning. Even hyperthyroidism can affect it also.

If you have congestive heart disease affecting your blood vessels and heart, you will go into fainting spell increasing you chance to fall down. Because of the degree of the disease, you have inactive lifestyle as you don’t want to give pressure to your heart from physical exertion. Your movement was limited to light kind of activity, stiffness of the tendons and muscles, less flexibility in walking.

Lung disease like emphysema limits your movement because of the deteriorating condition of the illness. Being inactive has less muscle conditioning and imbalance of movement, a possibility of falling while walking. Arthritis and foot problems will affect coordination. There is weakness in the muscles. Nerve damage causes unsteadiness of posture. There is tingling, numbness and pain in hands and feet as the result of developing arthritis.

If you have bladder problem will cause you to urinate frequently especially during period of sleep. As you move quickly and stand up -lightheaded sensation is felt due to sudden drop of blood pressure. Any minor obstacle in your way while walking sleepy during the night without turning the light at home will surely put you the danger of falling.

Alcoholism induced the body to the state of imbalance. If you are drunk, you can’t stand up straight prone to falling down as the alcohol affected correct posturing and positioning. You wanted to lie down immediately to any place you choose because there is nausea, vomiting and painful headache distorting the ability to walk.

There are many what-to-do tips you can use in avoiding accidental fall:

-A regular walking will put strength in your feet. Your tendons and muscles has flexibility and can easily stretch if there is pressure. It helps you to have better coordinated action without losing balance that leads you to fall. It corrects walking mistakes by giving proper posture.

-Make slow movement steady and sure. Carelessness may cause harm.

-If you are ill, don’t stand up abruptly. Rise up slowly, moving your feet in right foothold.
-While descending on stairs look down and stay focus.

-Put rugs in the house in proper place. Stepping to a rug will slide you without recovering from an awkward position and falling backward.

-Don’t let electrical and telephone cords to obstruct the flooring of the house. Tripping to the wires will off-balance your movement. You will stumble without notice.

-Fix your ladder properly while in use. Attach it tightly to something it can hold on.

-While walking in slippery road, walk slowly and seek right footing.

Protect yourself from a fall. Walk slowly but surely. Accident can make drastic changes in your way of life especially if it causes a very serious fall.