What constitutes a "fall"?

re breaking bones - another problem of old age is osteoporosis. fragility of bones.
This can actually cause falling as a bone bends or snaps. or happen as a result of the fall.
You can have a bone density test to see if you're vulnerable for this, and if you are, take medication which helps. Also regular walking and carrying heavy bags of shopping !

MamaBear, we never apply 'frail elderly' to ourselves do we? It's always other people!

Thanks for the laughs with some wonderful stories ladies! I am sorry to anyone who was hurt falling and I hope you healed quickly. I’ve always disliked the phrase “had a fall”, and yes it is most definitely a term used for frail elderly people. If you’re not at risk of breaking a bone when you hit the ground, people will say “she fell.” There seems to be a seriousness added to the situation when someone “had a fall”.
Also need to add, and I hate to burst bubbles here, but 60 is only middle age if you live to 120. Embrace the golden years ladies! ❤️

I had a “slip-up” just this morning! Outside my local supermarket, I slipped on a wet manhole cover, my foot went under and my leg folded underneath me. Fortunately no damage done as far as I can see, apart from a slightly aching leg, but you think the worst as it happens, hoping you haven’t broken any bones.

That follows the slip on the stairs a few weeks ago, which resulted in a trip to A+E to have a cut head glued.

Must take more water with it...

Well I fall regularly, however careful I am.
Old age, balance problems, not lifting my feet, not watching the ground when out etc.
I'm 85, and think maybe I'm pushing myself beyond my capacities.
The worst part of falling in old age is you might break a bone.
Which can be a death sentence.

Medics say a fall "is an event that results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level."

I looked it up today and it's a common definition medically all over the world.

Whoops. "desperate" not "desparate". Sorry, pedants.

My worst fall (and I often have those where my ankles give way after stepping, apparently, on nothing larger than a pebble, which shoots out of sight, meaning it looks as though I tripped over my own feet) happened well over 15 years ago so I was in my 40s.

I suddenly found myself lunging forwards, like that Keith Haring drawing in reverse, getting lower and lower with each desparate step. I landed with a crash, flat on my face.

My tongue immediately went to my teeth where I felt that one of the front ones had broken clean across and snapped in two. I had an awful overbite in those days and so I thought to myself "YESSS!"

It meant that I could get my teeth done on health insurance. The grazes on my face soon cleared up and I got a bridge for my front teeth which looked much better than before!

(This is near enough the picture I mean)

My most spectacular fall some years ago was a trip up the steps leading up to the recycling bins. My arms were full of newspapers so, I was not even attempting to use the railings, nor could I see the ground in front of me through the papers. I tripped up a step, and went down like a lump of lead, not even able to put my hands out (maybe not a bad thing as I would probably have broken at least one wrist). My forehead hit the edge of a higher step cutting right across. My DH was ill in bed, unable to help and neighbours’ phone was engaged so I wrapped a towel round my head and knocked on their door. The said they thought Pugsy had arrived!
A visit to A&E, several sutures (or facelift on the NHS, as it was described by my kind neighbour who had taken me to the hospital) and all was well, apart from a very, very bruised and black face for a couple of weeks.
It was decided I did not need the falls clinic as I knew exactly how it had happened and why.

Sometimes falls happen with alarming frequency alas - not always for the same apparent reason either.

Balance, low blood pressure, weakness or lack of flexibility in the legs and ankles, some at times of stress or poor concentration - all of these can play a part.

Apparently irrespective of how one falls there is a high chance of a repeat performance with a year.

So... just to be clear....if you can give a clear reason for falling then you fell...but...if you find yourself on the floor and can’t explain how it happened then you had a fall and need to be on the falls register because you are likely to have a fall again ???‍♀️

My spelling is also poor! Sorry grummpa. ☺️

Thanks grumma, but my Latin is very poor nowadays. I decided to rekindle my interest on Duolingo. It wasn't the Latin I was taught!?

However, I can still recite all the proverbs I had to learn off by heart. Not much use in a Latin crossword, methinks.
I may have a look.

I only want to fall down if I’m drunk....at least it’s a valid reason.??

Have you tried the weekly Times Latin crossword, Marydoll.

Conversation with my DD, "where were you", and I say "I had to help this elderly woman", and my DD laughs, why, because I am 82.

I’m never going to have ‘a fall’. If my 70+ feet are ever disobliging enough to go from under me, let it be merely known that I went arse over breakfast time, as my quaintly-spoken DF used to put it.

Health and safety at work insists the records document slips trips and falls easy enough to work out surely this is to prevent any serious injury my occupational therapist looked at my carpets and said I recommend you lift these they’ll cost you a slip a trip or a fall whatever, they stayed down as they had grippers underneath and no amount of tripping over them would have resulted in me slipping tripping or falling because like Lucca I’m only late middle aged.

I know! I was trying to be clever, but obviously failed!!!

Careful there marydoll using Latin, it’s elitist doncha know?
?

Maw, Ut benedicat tibi. ??

Ah, bless ?

Oh I so agreeLemongrove !
Time was I would be called “Madam” in John Lewis, now it’s “my dear” and invariably punctuated with a benediction!
I’m not exactly in my dotage yet ???

Meant to add ( knocking on wood) I can’t remember when I last tripped/fell so it must have been a long time ago.