Falling—no matter how it happens—doesn’t just hurt, it can be embarrassing too. When it happens, your first reaction may be to wave off the help of concerned witnesses in an effort to divert the attention. But brushing off a fall too quickly can have serious consequences.
Falls are the leading cause of injury or death for older adults in the U.S. One in four older adults take a bad fall each year, but less than half tell their doctor about it. With this in mind, it’s important to know what to do—and not to do—if you take a bad fall.
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The One Thing You Should Never Do After a Fall, According to ER Doctors
Part of what’s tricky about taking a fall is knowing when it’s serious enough to see a doctor about it and when you can just shake it off and get back to whatever you were doing before. Dr. Heather Hinshelwood, MD, a board-certified emergency physician, says that there are several instances when it’s important to get checked out by a medical professional after taking a fall.
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This includes if you lose consciousness (either before you fell or as a result of the fall), it’s painful to breathe, your back hurts and you’re unable to move or use a part of your body because it’s painful to do so or if something feels “off” but you’re not sure what it is. If you experience any of these circumstances after falling, Dr. Hinshelwood says it’s important to call 911 for emergency assistance. Do not, she emphasizes, assume you are fine if any of the situations she listed apply to you.
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Dr. Chidinma Nwakanma, MD, an Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, says that something else you should never do after a fall is get up too quickly. Instead, she says to get up slowly. “It’s important to take time to assess your body for visible injuries, severe pain, limited mobility, numbness and head trauma,” she says.
Dr. Nwakanma explains that jumping up too quickly can increase the risk of further injury by putting additional stress on the body, which could exacerbate an existing injury, especially if you have head trauma, a fracture, sprain or soft tissue damage.
To get up in a way that’s slow and safe, Dr. Nwakanma says to slowly get into a seated position or roll onto your side, eventually and gradually taking your time to get up while making sure you are maintaining your balance and able to support your body weight.
If you fall but only have mild pain, can move without any pain or restriction and you generally feel like yourself, Dr. Nwakanma says that it’s okay to recover on your own without seeing a medical professional.
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How To Help Someone Else Who Has Fallen
What about if you see someone else fall? Certainly, your first instinct may be to help them up. If you see someone fall, Dr. Hinshelwood recommends approaching them and checking on them without moving them off the ground. “If the [person] isn’t able to raise themselves off the ground, then call 911 for emergency assistance and evaluation. Even ground-level falls can cause life-threatening injuries,” Dr. Hinshelwood says.
Dr. Nwakanma adds to this, saying that assessing their level of consciousness, bleeding and pain is a good first step to take when helping someone who has taken a fall. “If any of these symptoms are present, call an ambulance,” she instructs.
In general, Dr. Nwakanma says that it’s important to be very cautious about attempting to lift or help raise someone who has fallen because it’s difficult to know the extent of their injury. “I would advise against routinely helping someone who has fallen up, especially if they are unable to get up on their own,” she says. “It’s best to attempt to make the person as comfortable as possible, without moving them and ensure that they are kept warm and dry and not at risk for further injury.”
It bears repeating that falling can have serious consequences. “Falling is a source of significant morbidity and mortality in people,” Dr. Hinshelwood says. If you do fall, don’t be afraid to call 911 and ask for help—it’s certainly better to be safe than sorry!
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Sources
- Dr. Heather Hinshelwood, MD, board-certified emergency physician
- Dr. Chidinma Nwakanma, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
