Falls

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors

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• Related Issues

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Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

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• Seniors
• Patient Handouts

Summary

A fall can change your life. If you're elderly, it can lead to disability and a loss of independence. If your bones are fragile from osteoporosis, you could break a bone, often a hip. But aging alone doesn't make people fall. Diabetes and heart disease affect balance. So do problems with circulation, thyroid or nervous systems. Some medicines make people dizzy. Eye problems or alcohol can be factors. Any of these things can make a fall more likely. Babies and young children are also at risk of falling - off of furniture and down stairs, for example.

Falls and accidents seldom "just happen." Taking care of your health by exercising and getting regular eye exams and physicals may help reduce your chance of falling. Getting rid of tripping hazards in your home and wearing nonskid shoes may also help. To reduce the chances of breaking a bone if you do fall, make sure that you get enough calcium and vitamin D.

NIH: National Institute on Aging

Start Here

• Falls and Fractures (National Institute on Aging) Also in Spanish
• What Are Ways to Prevent Falls and Related Fractures? (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Diagnosis and Tests: Evaluating a Fall or Risk of Falling (American Geriatrics Society)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Fall Prevention: Simple Tips to Prevent Falls (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Preventing Falls (National Institute on Aging) - PDF
• Preventing Falls and Related Fractures (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Related Issues

• Keeping Your Balance (National Osteoporosis Foundation)
• Speak Up: Reduce Your Risk of Falling (Joint Commission) - PDF

Statistics and Research

• Falls Among Older Adults: An Overview (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• FastStats: Accidents or Unintentional Injuries (National Center for Health Statistics)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Accidental Falls (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Fall prevalence in people with multiple sclerosis who use wheelchairs...
• Article: Integrative Medicine for Geriatric and Palliative Care.
• Article: Establishing a Classification System for High Fall-Risk Among Inpatients Using...
• Falls -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• National Institute on Aging Also in Spanish

Children

• First Aid: Falls (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Seniors

• Balance Problems (American Geriatrics Society) - PDF
• Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
• Fall Proofing Your Home (National Institute on Aging) - PDF
• Falls Prevention: Unique to Older Adults (AGS Foundation for Health in Aging)

Patient Handouts

• After a fall in the hospital (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Bathroom safety - adults (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Exercises to help prevent falls (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Preventing falls (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish