Falls: Why They're Dangerous, What Causes Them, and How to Prevent Them

A danger at any age

• Babies and young children can be hurt falling off furniture or down stairs.
• Older children may fall off playground equipment.
• Older adults face the most serious falls. They are more likely to fall, and more likely to break a bone when they do — especially with osteoporosis. A broken bone, particularly a hip, can lead to disability and a loss of independence.

Common causes

• balance problems;
• some medicines, which can make you dizzy, confused or slow;
• vision problems;
• alcohol, which affects balance and reflexes;
• muscle weakness, especially in the legs, making it harder to get up from a chair or keep your balance on uneven ground;
• certain illnesses, such as low blood pressure, diabetes and neuropathy;
• slow reflexes, which make it hard to keep your balance or get out of the way of a hazard;
• tripping or slipping, from losing your footing or traction.

Lowering your risk

At any age, you can make changes to fall less:

• Look after your health, including regular eye exams.
• Exercise regularly: it can strengthen your muscles, improve your balance and keep your bones strong.
• Make your home safer: get rid of tripping hazards, and have rails on the stairs and in the bath.
• Protect your bones: get enough calcium and vitamin D, to lower the chance of a break if you do fall.

Sources

Based on "Falls," MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, drawing on the National Institute on Aging; a work of the United States government in the public domain.