I fell over - I didn’t ’have a fall’!

Witzend

No, nobody’s trying to insult anyone, Baggs, but ‘having a fall’ is generally associated with being a somewhat doddery old thing, and since I’m (so far anyway!) very far from doddery I wouldn’t like to think of anyone saying I’d ‘had a fall’.

That's right. When an old person falls it is important to distinguish between a 'went flying' sort of fall and a sudden loss of consciousness. Anybody any age can trip and fall, but old people especially do get sudden low blood pressure.

There is a passive tone to 'having a fall' so the phrase does not apply to Witzend's accident-----she is obviously fit and compos mentis and simply was not paying attention.

'Having a fall' is like 'having a bad cold' when it's passive like when falling down is caused by low blood pressure or some other pathology.

No, nobody’s trying to insult anyone, Baggs, but ‘having a fall’ is generally associated with being a somewhat doddery old thing, and since I’m (so far anyway!) very far from doddery I wouldn’t like to think of anyone saying I’d ‘had a fall’.

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’?

🤷‍♀️

Because young children are forever falling over as they scamper and toddle and charge about but some old people, who have had a lifetime of being very good at not falling over even if they mis-step, as the OP did, do, on average, fall more often than younger adults - falls that they wouldn't have had if they were still younger.

People's balance deteriorates as they get older. One doesn't 'bounce' as well as one did when younger.

Bone density and muscle mass deteriorate with age too.

It all makes having falls/falling - whichever phrase one prefers - more of an issue when one is older.

Making a fuss about the words people use because it 'feels like' a reference to one's advanced age is just silly in my opinion. Nobody is trying to insult anyone by a reference to "having a fall".

Glad you are fine after you fell over! It’s so blooming easy to do especially with our ghastly pavements and kerbs!

Hmmmm…….renaming the ‘Falls Team’ to the ‘Fallen Over Team’ doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. 😂

Sorry Witzend, hope you are ok, tbh I think is the shock of it that is sometimes hard to shake off.
Yes ‘having a fall’ is a medical term usually for someone of older years who has a fall due to disabilities or an illness, I know because when my DH ‘has a fall’ it is due to a lack of balance caused by a stroke. Is not meant to be used widely when an older person is simply careless and ends up on her bum, but it does seem to be more commonly used.

Smileless2012

Hope you're OK this morning Witzend as sometimes it's the next day our bodies are stiff and achy after falling over .

Very pleased to say no after-effects at all today!

I just hope the two kind young people who instantly helped me up didn’t tell anyone later that they’d helped some poor old dear who’d ’had a fall’ 😱

Hope you feel OK now Witzend no ill effects from falling. It's only as we get older we ' have a fall' I agree . Good to have kind people around to help.

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’?

🤷‍♀️

Hope you're OK this morning Witzend as sometimes it's the next day our bodies are stiff and achy after falling over .

Sorry to hear that Witzend - take it easy today . Btw 20 lengths is quite impressive .
I never learnt to swim 😩