Top 5 Tips to Help Prevent Falls From A Physical Therapist

Emily Kocanda
April 19, 2022

We have worked with many clients on improving range of motion and strength in their legs and core, and sometimes it’s easy to forget that all of those exercises are also helping to keep you right-side up! In this blog post, I wanted to give you some tips for prevention that you can implement immediately to continue to promote safe mobility!

#1 Have your eyes and ears checked by your physician or health care routine.

Make sure you can see and hear in your environment. Talk to your doctor about any problems with sight or hearing, and also inquire about medication side effects. Anything dizziness, lightheadedness, anything that will drop your blood pressure or raise your blood pressure? Those sorts of medications can definitely lead to falls and result in hospitalizations.

#2 Get enough sleep at night.

Make sure you’re getting good quality sleep and you’re sleeping through the night. Not sure how many hours of sleep you need? Most adults need somewhere between 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Start experimenting with different bed times if you always wake up at the same time, and take note of when you feel the most rested.

#3 When you stand up, stand up slowly and carefully.

Don’t stand up too quickly. That can definitely lead to a head rush, which can lead to falls. We’ve all had that strange feeling of standing up too quickly and needing a second. It’s okay to take your time and make sure you have both feet under you before you get up and go.

#4 Wear proper footwear.

Make sure your shoes stay on your feet. Make sure they’re the right size for you don’t trip over the toes. Make sure that they stay on your feet when you’re walking and if they have laces, make sure they’re laced up before you start going. If you have questions about what kind of shoes to wear, please give us a call!

#5 See a physical therapist!

If you feel unsteady when you’re standing or walking, let’s work on getting an assistive device for you. A cane or a walker doesn’t have to mean you use it all the time. It means that you’ll use it when you feel like you need it — when you’re outside, when you’re going grocery shopping, etc.

You can also see a physical therapist to help you come up with a plan to stay physically active. We’re here to be your cheerleaders and we can help you do balance exercises and do strength, plus make sure your endurance is up and that can lead to preventing falls.

If you’re curious about how we can work together, click here to request more information and one of our therapists will give you a call.