I fell over - I didn’t ’have a fall’!

Sorry, Baggs there is a difference. The semantics of what people, especially medical staff, say to you can be key to how they regard you and how they treat you and it can make the difference between active and best treatments being used and simpler less efficacious treatments being used.

I saw this with my father in his last illness. he was 92, still livng independently and capable of cutting the grass. When he was rushed to hospital in severe pain. The moment the Professor, who was on shift, saw him he was talking in active tenses about getting to the cause of the pain, getting him home etc. He was put forward for a very new operation that would reuire a transfer to a London hospital and Professor was talking of im making his century. Then another problem surfaced and it was clear that the end was in sight. The language changed, the tenses changed. He was seen in a different light and the language reflected it.

Falling over is as a result of an accident, tripping over something, falling off an unsteady bike, a household object, even wearing the wrong shoes. I am quite good st thwt.

Having a fall means someone falls without reason because their balance is not good, they are unsteady on their feet, usually as a result of age or illness.
The first time I gave blood, it was a hot day, I was walking back to work and just fell in the street. No injuries, and luckily some people in a nearby shop came out and rescued me.

some old people, who have had a lifetime of being very good at not falling over even if they mis-step

I've always fallen over. My knees were permanently scraped as a child!
Calamity Jane.

I think the whole class in our junior school would have had scabby knees and elbows.

I remember Judge Judy once saying that she asked a good friend who was a doctor how to enjoy a healthy long life and he simply replied ‘don’t have a fall.’
As we get older our bones become brittle and our organs more prone to failure from a sudden fall. Many reading this won’t consider themselves of an age to worry about this but if you are a woman brittle bones as we age can become a real problem and it isn’t just the elderly who can suffer from this.

This is why when someone indicates that a fall has occurred, it's essential to find out the circumstances. Tripping over something because you weren't paying attention is one thing. A fall occurring because someone got dizzy or their feet just went out from under them, is something else. As an example, I think it's about 70% of people who experience a hip fracture have osteoporosis. I believe that it's theorized that in some cases, the person doesn't fall and break a hip, they actually break a hip and fall. The bone becomes so brittle that it cannot withstand the weight of the body, and breaks on its own, with the break causing the fall.

I stood on a chair recently (don’t ask) and I fell off it. It doesn’t matter whether I had a fall or fell over the result is the same - I was in agony!

At my last PIP assessment the assesor asked me if I had had any falls recently. I told the nice gentleman that yes, I had fallen over 6 days prior, not "had a fall" as in was only 55 at the time! My back is dreadful but I'm far from a doddery old lady!

I fell on almost the first day of a holiday in Australia - although we went on to have a good time; my broken metatarsal, curtailed the scope of our adventures.
Idt DH has quite forgiven me.

Moral do not walk and film on your phone…

Having a fall is a bit more serious at 60+ - not like our many falls when we were 6 and we lapped up the attention of the playground supervisor 😆

This made my smile…my absolute pet hate I’d…she’s HAD a fall.
I’m 72 and will never ever Have a fall, I may fall over…God forbid but the having a fall thing is going to pass me by 😂😂

My late husband who died 02/01/25 fell over many times due to arhritis in his knees for about 7 years up till his death he did become more frail he also had asthma and diabeties type 2 ,2 strokes within about 18 months he was still getting about going to the shops taking his rollater taxi to town but decided to leave the rollater at home and use the electric scooter at the supermarket just taking one crutch there was a knock at the door someone telling me he,d fallen over.He hurt his leg taken to hospital couldnt walk anymore due to pain in the leg. had to have front room equipped with hospital bed etc etc carers 4 times day he developed a bedsore at the base of his spine cares wouldnt touch it so community nurse cleaned it once a week if that and developed sepsis he went to hospital and never came back.If he,d taken his rollater he might not have fallen over and might still be here.

Well here goes! Several months ago I’d had too much red wine (!!) Managed to stagger upstairs but then “went flying” in the bedroom. Partner found me lying on the floor. I must have done something to my hand and wrist because it still hurts most days. Eventually, I decided to go to see the doctor. He was a charming man and couldn’t believe I was 73!! He didn’t think there was anything broken, just gave me a tube of “Powergel” to rub into the affected hand. I hadn’t the heart to tell him I’d had too much vino on the night it happened, just said my leg “gave way” due to my arthritic hip!! Been more careful since then with the red stuff!!

I tripped over a raised paving slab a month ago whilst accompanying my husband to a hospital appointment- we were literally 5 minutes away from the hospital! Although I tried to stop myself grabbing onto some railings I faceplanted the pavement and ended up with my teeth going through my bottom lip - blood everywhere- I’m on blood thinners which made things worse. As I have several teeth implants that was my first concern but thankfully they were still there! A lovely young man stopped and tried to help offering to call an ambulance but as we were right over the road we walked there. Husband went to his appointment and a nice nurse took me over to A&E where I had a CT scan and various other examinations and went to sit in the waiting room as they thought I’d need my lip stitched. Long story short after 3 hours I passed out and ended up on a trolley on a drip for another hour! No stitches were needed but the aftermath has left me with horrendous bruises down my right side and a very badly swollen leg which I had x-rayed 2 weeks ago luckily no breaks. Also had another x-ray at the dentists and again was incredibly relieved everything is ok. The whole thing has made me very wary of where I’m walking and nervous out and about. I felt so sorry for my husband as what started out as a worry for him ended up being all about me!

My husband fell in the garden 3 weeks ago when he got his feet in a muddle on a narrow path and instinctively put his hand out to save himself. Unfortunately he put it into a clump of raspberry canes that he'd just pruned. He managed to badly fracture and all but sever the middle finger of his right hand. After almost immediate surgery he has 2 wire rods holding his finger together and, until they're removed on 23 April, we won't finally know whether his finger has been saved and, if so, how much, if any, feeling he will have in it. He is very definite that he fell over and didn't have a fall.
These things happen so quickly and unexpectedly but can have devastating consequences.

I have found that if you break a hip like I have, twice, if they put 'had a fall' on your notes you are referred to the frailty clinic or whatever they call it, but if they put tripped over something you are not referred. I am exceptionally clumsy and the first time I broke my hip I caught my foot under a pipe that I wasn't aware was there, so I tripped, no referral. The second time I sat down, in the dark, on my bed that wasn't where I thought it was so I was treated as having a fall. Makes no sense.

Not so much a fall , more a trip over Witzed !

I am 70 and I tripped on an uneven paving stone and went flat on my face. I definitely tripped I did not have a fall but it was extremely embarrassing as I couldn’t get up. 3 passers by had to pick me up . I was a bit bruised on my face and my knee but nothing broken

I refuse to say 'I had a fall', that's for old people, not me at 77. I will say 'I fell over', then I'm not treated as an old lady

Calendargirl

Yes, why is it our little GC ‘fell over in the playground today’ but if it’s Granny, she ‘had a fall when out shopping’?

🤷‍♀️

Little children fall over, shriek, bounce back up and carry on.

When Granny has a fall she 'll be lucky not to have a concussion, break a bone, sprain a muscle, or get a nasty bruise that takes weeks to disappear.

I must say I’m VERY impressed with your swimming capability WITZEND. I haven’t been all winter even though I’m paying for swimming as the water is always too cold!!!! Maybe your pool is better heated, or you can stand cold water better than me!

A friend of mine who has been a professional dancer all her life, now hitting 70, says we need to train for our old age. It's all about balance and keeping some strength. Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi - all can be done at any age and will help. Staying in touch with your body is natural when we're young, but we need to work at it all our lives.

Everyone falls and trips over, especially my GCs! It's quite normal as long as there is no serious injury or pathological reason.
However, as I get older, having never broken a bone in my life, I do like it is important to exercise to maintain good balance and muscle strength.
I was told that small steps are better than large strides, to keep arms swinging and not carry handbags, to keep your eyes on the horizon and not on the floor and most importantly, to wear good supportive shoes.
I can't remeber the last time I fell down but I'm not taking it for granted!

M0nica

I have dyspraxia. going base over apex is something I have done at least once a year for the last 80 years. I definitely fall over, usually in a spectacular fashion, nothing passive about my falls.

However many years ago I taught myself to relax into falls when they happen so I rarely damage myself in any way.

Your ‘base over apex’ reminded me of my father’s ‘quaint’ expression - going arse over breakfast time!

I very nearly did that once, years ago - slipped badly on a wet floor at a Heathrow cafe while waiting for dh to arrive. Somehow managed to save myself - but in the process let out a very noisy fart!! 😱
Surrounded by people sitting all around, I somehow managed to summon the aplomb to walk off as if nothing had happened…

That made me laugh Witzend that I also let out a fart. I have just started statins and it seems to be a side effect!!