Falling over, can’t get up.

Seagull72

We lose our balance as we get older. I’ve started going to the gym to strengthen my legs and improve my balance. Also do some balance exercises each morning.

I go to the gym three times a week and do full body exercises including the leg press…
My balance has never been good, partly because I have flat feet! 🤷‍♀️

Lots of info on You Tube about exercises you can do to help with getting up. My Pilates teacher says it takes about three months to improve your muscles if you practice three or more times a week, so no quick fix, however well worth it.

We lose our balance as we get older. I’ve started going to the gym to strengthen my legs and improve my balance. Also do some balance exercises each morning.

I worried about this after both my late husband and my late father has falls where I was unable to lift them back onto their feet. Eventually I bit the bullet and joined a gym; I have a personal trainer and his main instruction was to make sure I was strong enough to get back up off the floor. Hard work but I'm much better at it now!

I’ve started to wear lightweight trainers in the house … as I fell over a couple of times in the summer. Flip flops now in the bin as are slipper mules.

Surely the alarm pendants etc only work if you are near your home phone .
Outside a mobile is best.
When my H had falls I would have to get paramedics to lift him.
Then I heard about the inflatable chair used by the call out service.
I had a single blow up bed for visitors so the next time my H fell I got it down and managed to get him rolled onto it.
I then plugged it in and inflated it, it took about 4
5 minutes.
When it was fully inflated he could manage with help to sit up and then we could swing his legs round and he could stand up.
I used this method several times but only when I was sure he wasn’t hurt.
I told the ambulance service about it and they were very impressed.

Get an alarm bracelet or necklace from whoever supplies them in Britain or wherever you live. I know they are available in Scotland.

Failing being supplied with one, take your mobile with you at all times, making sure it is fully charged.

It depends how you landed when you fell, and on your weight and physical strength in arms and legs, how you can get up unaided.

If you land on hands and knees and can't get up from that position, try sitting down on your bottom and pushing yourself up using your feet place flat on the ground with your knees bent and a hand flat on the ground on either side of you.

If that is no go, then either shuffling on your bottom, the way we came downstairs as toddlers, or crawling on your stomach as we did when playing Indians (oops, sorry Native Americans! Now doesn't that look ridiculous? ) as children until you reach something you can pull yourself up by.

If none of this is possible, which I can well imagine to be the case, yell loudly until someone comes.

It would make good sense if we all, me included, practised some of this on a nice soft carpet at home to find out what works.

In the snow and ice we have had for the past fortnight, I take a stick with me when I go out, although I do not usually use a walking-stick, but one does provide more stability on slippy or rough ground.

Go to a good pilates class. I learnt how to get up from a fall where you have broken your arms! A roll and then use your breath = move when you expire.

I’ve developed a habit of falling, I’ve now been referred to a ‘Falls Clinic’ to diagnose any underlying cause. I had a bad fall on a pavement and later on couldn’t stand up at home after sitting on the floor. I went through the online questionnaire on the NHS 111 website, and the advice was to call 999 for an ambulance! I was very reluctant to do this as I felt calling 999 was for ‘real’ emergencies. My husband was told to stop trying to help me stand up, as I could end up injured!

Anyway, long story short, the paramedics were brilliant, and got me up by putting me on an inflatable pad which got me to a sitting up position, from which I was able to stand up. I’m sure they have equipment which works in a field as well!

So my only advice is that if you fall and can’t get up, it’s a medical emergency, call 999! If you don’t have a mobile, you can get reasonably cheap ‘pay as you go’ phones for emergencies. I’ve never thought about what would happen if I fell over in an isolated place with nobody to help me. I’m glad you’re OK, but remember you’ve had a shock.

Roll on to your tummy and with one leg straight bring the other one up and use your hand to rest on the upright knee if that makes sense. You can push with the straight leg too. I saw this on you tube, so if I sound waffley have a look!

If you can get onto your hands and knees then put one leg up with your foot on the ground and knee bent. You can then lean on that bent up knee, pushing off with your other leg and up you go. Hope this makes sense. Learnt this at an exercise class. Don’t have good strength in my legs either but this helps me.

Trying getting on your knees. I curl my toes under and it seems to help with lift off. Usually one side at a time.

MayBee70

I’ve realised that I trip a lot because I don’t raise my feet as high as I used to when I walk. I didn’t realise that you can’t kneel after a knee replacement.

I think not knowing one can no longer kneel after knee replacement is a problem for many. I was fine after my first replacement, just relied on my non-replaced knee. Now, with both knees replaced - I have nothing to depend upon, except a stick, other people, or my ski poles. Good job I rarely fall!

There are ( I’ve heard falls clinics ) , I always use a stick anywhere where the ground is dodgy .

After one THR and about to have the second, I find I can't get up without a piece of furniture and even then I'm aware that I'm using my arms rather than legs to get up. I now shower as I can't get out if the bath from sitting and dread falling outdoors. I don't have any advice for that situation other than attracting attention for help. I'll be looking here for advice rather than offering it!

I used to look after an elderly man. He quite big and tall and me about 5 feet high not particularly good muscles. He fell once in the bath and once out on a public foot path, both times lying on his back.

I emptied the bath water and got in the bath with good shoes on. Standing near his feet , we joined hands in the 'sailor's grip' and I managed to pull him up by simple leverage. Similarly when he fell on the footpath,

Sailor's grip is very strong. However both helper and the prone person must know how to use and trust it.

There were others standing nearby which is also needed in case the lift fails for some reason.

I do Pilates so do regular 4 point kneeling on knees and hands and would usually use that way to get up. But I've just sat on the floor to find out if there is another way. I would say you need to keep both your arms and your leg muscles strong, so regular exercise for both (my pilates teacher tells me you lose muscle after 30!). So I could do it with three points of contact. One foot and my hands. One leg bent on side. Pushing on both I could get up to a sort of downward dog but with knees bent then a roll up to standing. Might be just worth practising in your home near something you can use to help you up if you need it I'm 78.

If you are having a bath or shower have your phone or alarm pendant within reach in case of falling or any other emergency.
Most falls happen in the kitchen or bathroom. Bum shuffle on to carpet to keep yourself warmer. If you are stuck in the bath let water out and use towels under you and over to keep warm. Imagine being stuck in the bath or shower with no means of calling for help. You could be there for a very long time.

I did a Falls Course. It was run by Age UK and took place in a local Community centre. These courses are all over the country ( or used to be ! ) It was 12 weeks long and changed my life. There were people much worse off than me who also benefitted from the course.
At home it might be a good idea to have warm shawls draped over your furniture in case of a fall. You can pull the shawl down onto yourself to stay warm till help comes.
I haven't had time to read all the posts here so forgive me if I am repeating things you have seen already.

So funny, can just picture it 😂 😂 😂

I am recovering from two total knee replacement surgeries. If I sit on the floor I have to shuffle around on my bum. Afraid to go on my knees to get up as I can feel the metal and think I am going to do some damage. Don't know how I can overcome this as last week when my boiler in the attic had to be reset, I climbed up the ladder, shuffled around on my bum, reset and managed to get down the ladder. Felt really sorry for myself.

I lost the post I was writing so just want to say I live my life in fear of falling when I am alone on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I limit my time outside as we have some rough concrete areas around the back of our property and last year had such a bad fall I ended up,in hospital for three days eithna suspected fractured skull.
As we age our legs and our balance become an issue and now I am always conscious of a fear of falling which I hate. I am in my 90th year and my ambition,is to live beyond that age as I would be the first member of my family to reach that goal. Hoping we all enjoy Christmas which is nearly here.

As a freqyuebt faller, I'm very clumsy, I always use a stick now. My daftest fall was in the garden when I was weeding, I was sitting on a low stool to do it and putting the weeds in one of those large plastic trug type things that are handy for all sorts of things. When I'd finished one patch I stood up and moved both trug and stool along to the next bit, then somehow istead of sitting on the stool agin I sat back down in the trug!! so there was I folded in half with my backside stuck in the bottom of the trug and legs waving about in the air. Trying to get out was hampered by me suffering from uncontrollable giggles. Eventually managed by rocking backwards and forwards until I went right over then I managed to sort of crawl/lever myself out.

Agree with Nordic Poles advice or maybe a Shooting Stick , one with umbrella is particularly useful.Either will also provide a seat to rest on after pulling yourself up with the seat handles .

A leg strengthening exercise which I do daily is performed sitting on a dining chair or similar. Keep one foot on the floor and straighten out the other in front of you. Move the leg as if writing the alphabet in large capital letters. It should take about a minute for each leg.