What to Do After a Fall?

The biggest impact of a fall is to cause fractures (mainly in the hip, vertebrae, wrist, etc.).
Hip fractures are the most serious, and their mortality and disability rates are relatively high.

The risk of falling increases with age. Due to the poor perception of pain in the elderly, the problem is often ignored and the more they delay, the worse it gets. Therefore, if the elderly fall and feel unwell, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

If you are about to fall, there are two emergency measures you can take:

1. Pull and hold the fixed objects around you; 2. Brace yourself on the ground with your hands, which is an effective way to reduce injury.

Propping up with the hand tends to damage the wrist joint, and although it results in a fracture of the distal ulna or distal radius, it causes much less damage and is much less difficult to treat and care for, and basically no fatal complications occur.

After a fall, the general principle is: do not get up hastily, assess the injury first, and only if you feel you have enough strength without injury should you consider getting up.

What to do after a fall – a simple guide for the elderly

1. Assess the injury.
Stay calm and do not make any movements for a few minutes to avoid causing more injuries.
To determine if you are injured, move your hands, feet, arms, and legs slowly to feel if you are in pain and if your movement is restricted.

2. If there is no injury, get up slowly.
Slowly turn the body starting from the head and rest for a while if you feel tired until you shift to a crawling position (Step 1);
Slowly exert force with your hands, use your knees on the ground, and climb to a sturdy chair or furniture (Step 2 & 3);
Put your hands on the chair, one hand at a time. Don’t rush, take a break if you feel tired (Step 3);
Support yourself with the chair, with your lower leg raised perpendicular to the floor and your foot flat on the floor, keeping the other leg in a kneeling position (Step 4);
Using your arms and legs, slowly get up to stand or sit in the chair for a few minutes to catch your breath before doing anything else.

Do not rush to do anything else after a fall. The body needs some time to recover, during this time, in order to maintain a comfortable position, you can lie on the bed, sofa or rest in the lay flat power recliner chair.

What to do after a bad fall? How can I help myself?

Stay calm, take a few moments to rest;
If there is a pillow nearby, put it under your head;
If there are blankets or clothes nearby, use them to keep warm while waiting for help;
If there is no medical alert device or phone nearby, call for help;
If you cannot shout, grab something nearby and bang on the floor or nearby furniture to produce a sound to get attention.

What about bruises after a fall that is not too serious?

Generally, bruises are caused by the rupture of capillaries under the skin. After a fall, cold compresses can be applied to help reduce the extent of the bruise.
After the bruise is basically set, you can take the hot compress to absorb the subcutaneous bruise. Because hot compresses can help accelerate the local blood circulation, it is good for absorbing local bruises.

Notice the causes of falls and never take a fall lightly. Always remember to protect yourself!