Fall Prevention in Woodlawn

Fall Prevention in Woodlawn

Fall Prevention Woodlawn MD

When we think of people falling, around the house or otherwise, most of us think of the elderly. While it is true that more than 30% of adults over 65 report falls resulting in some kind of injury, anyone is susceptible to a fall. Over 9,9 million fall-related injuries occur each year. Many are reported by middle-aged adults and young adults. A lot of these falls are considered community-dwelling falls which mean they happen in the home. Barrett Family Chiropractic not only treats patients in our office, we want to reach our Woodlawn Community to help them live healthier injury free lives. Here are some suggestions on how to reduce the chances of falling around your home and what you can do if you do fall.

Declutter

So many of us lead busy lives and it is easy to walk through the door and quickly drop our purses, briefcases, coats or other items on the floor. We\'ll get to them later, right? Then we get busy and the items sit and sometimes even seem to ooze further into the room or hall. Now it\'s time to rush around the house and finish the evening routine and get ready for the next day. A toe gets stuck in the after-work debris and BOOM, down you go. You might catch your fall or go down to the floor. Either way the quick twisting and striking your body on furniture, walls and/or floors can cause bruises, muscle strains and sometimes worse. When you get home take a minute or two to put things in their place to reduce the chances of an accident. While you\'re at it, take steps to remove clutter from hallways and other living areas. We accumulate a lot of \"stuff\" over time and sometimes we stop seeing those little piles of clutter. Take care of it and not only will you reduce the risk of falls but you\'ll feel a freshness in your home\'s atmosphere!

Keep Steps Clear

I can\'t tell you how many times I will put items either at the bottom of the stairs or at the top because those things belong on a different level of my house. Someone will bring them up on their next trip, right? Well, the kids seem to ignore it and my husband will actually step over it. Resist the temptation! A child running through the house just might miss those items and they can trip as they run by. Sometimes when you are carrying items they block your view of the floor and steps. BOOM! Once again, down you go.

Caution in the Bath

Bathrooms are one of the most common areas for falls as those floors, showers and tubs get slippery when wet. Be sure to keep floors as dry as possible. Use a non-slip mat or treads inside the shower/tub and use some type of non-slip and absorbent mat just outside the tub. Make sure it\'s positioned so that it\'s the first thing your wet feet hit as you get out! Consider installing grab bars if you feel you have any tendency to be a bit off kilter as you get in and out of the shower/tub. Avoid the grab bars with suction cups. They are not as stable as permanent ones and you are likely to do down and find you\'re holding onto one of those bars on your way.

So, review your living area and think outside the box. Look for anything that could potentially cause a slip or catch a toe during the normal course of life. Should you fall, especially if you hit your head, seek expert advice. Dr. Barrett and the staff at Barrett Family Chiropractic in Woodlawn, Maryland are here to help evaluate you for injuries and to treat those aches and pains. You may even need to be evaluated for a concussion which is a potentially dangerous closed head injury. Keep in mind that injuries can often \"fly below the radar\" and cause less trouble now and more trouble down the road. Give us a call at 410-265-9911 and let us take a look.

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