Preventing a fall is always preferred. However sometimes we find ourselves unable to avoid falling down. In this situation, it is important to minimize the risk of injury.
What should I do?
- Try to stay calm and not to let your muscles and joints stiffen up. By staying loose, we reduce the risk of injury.
- Many times when we start to fall, it is in out instincts to reach out with our hands. If you are falling forwards, try to hit the ground with both the palms of the hand AND the forearm. This reduces the likelihood of a wrist fracture.
- Always protect your head.
- If you are falling forwards, turn your head to the side
- If you are falling backwards, tuck your chin in to your chest
- When able, bring your head up for additional protection
- Land on the bulky, meaty parts of your body. The buttocks, upper back, and thighs tend to be more muscular and provide better protection.
- Keep rolling/moving through the fall. It is often tempting to stop as quickly as possible. However by rolling with the impact of the fall, the force of impact from the fall will be spread throughout the body, vs concentrated in one place.