BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuPreventing falls - what to ask your doctor Fall prevention - what to ask your doctorMany people with medical problems are at risk of falling or tripping. This can leave you with broken bones or more serious injuries. You can do many things to make your home safer for you to prevent falls.Prevent fallsOlder adults and people with medical problems are at risk of falling or tripping. This can result in broken bones or more serious injuries. Use the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Below are questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help keep your home safe for you.QuestionsAm I taking any medicines that will make me sleepy, dizzy, or lightheaded?Are there exercises I can do to make me stronger or improve my balance to help prevent falls?ExercisesIf you have a medical problem or you are an older adult, you may be at risk of falling or tripping. This can result in broken bones or even more ser...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Where in my home do I need to make sure there is enough light?How can I make my bathroom safer? Do I need a shower chair? Do I need a raised toilet seat? Do I need help when I take a shower or bath? Do I need bars on the walls in the shower, by the toilet, or in the hallways?Is my bed low enough? Do I need a hospital bed? Do I need a bed on the first floor so I do not need to climb stairs? How can I make the stairs at my house safer?Is it OK to have pets in the home?What are other things that I may trip over?What can I do about any uneven floors?Do I need help with cleaning, cooking, laundry, or other household chores?Should I use a cane or a walker?What should I do if I fall? How can I keep my phone near me?Should I purchase a medical alert system to call for help if I fall?Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican Geriatrics Society Health in Aging Foundation website. Falls prevention. www.healthinaging.org/a-z-topic/falls-prevention/causes. Updated January, 2023. Accessed April 18, 2023.Hejkal J, Fisher AL. Gait, balance, and falls. In: Warshaw GA, Potter JF, Flaherty E, Heflin MT, McNabney MK, Ham RJ, eds. Ham's Primary Care Geriatrics. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 20.Phelan EA, Mahoney JE, Voit JC, Stevens JA. Assessment and management of fall risk in primary care settings. Med Clin North Am. 2015;99(2):281-293. PMID: 25700584 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25700584/.AllVideoImagesTogA Closer Look HIV and AIDS(Alt. Medicine)Vitamin D(Alt. Medicine)Hypercholesterolemia(Alt. Medicine)Asthma(Alt. Medicine)Osteoporosis(Alt. Medicine)High blood pressure - InDepth(In-Depth)Urinary incontinence - InDepth(In-Depth)Varicella-zoster virus(Alt. Medicine)Glaucoma - InDepth(In-Depth)Depression - InDepth(In-Depth)Talking to your MD Preventing falls - what to ask your doctor Related Information Cataract removal(Surgery)Bunion removal(Surgery)Spinal fusion(Surgery)Knee joint replacement(Surgery)Hip joint replacement(Surgery)Corneal transplant(Surgery)Ankle replacement(Surgery)Foot amputation - discharge(Discharge)Leg amputation - discharge(Discharge)Bathroom safety for adults(Self-Care)Multiple sclerosis - discharge(Discharge)Stroke - discharge (Discharge)Getting your home ready - knee or hip surgery(Self-Care)Hip replacement - discharge (Discharge)Knee joint replacement - discharge (Discharge)Taking care of your new hip joint(Self-Care)Alzheimer disease - InDepth(In-Depth)Stroke - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 3/2/2023 Reviewed By: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Preventing falls - what to ask your doctor Fall prevention - what to ask your doctorMany people with medical problems are at risk of falling or tripping. This can leave you with broken bones or more serious injuries. You can do many things to make your home safer for you to prevent falls.Prevent fallsOlder adults and people with medical problems are at risk of falling or tripping. This can result in broken bones or more serious injuries. Use the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Below are questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help keep your home safe for you.QuestionsAm I taking any medicines that will make me sleepy, dizzy, or lightheaded?Are there exercises I can do to make me stronger or improve my balance to help prevent falls?ExercisesIf you have a medical problem or you are an older adult, you may be at risk of falling or tripping. This can result in broken bones or even more ser...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Where in my home do I need to make sure there is enough light?How can I make my bathroom safer? Do I need a shower chair? Do I need a raised toilet seat? Do I need help when I take a shower or bath? Do I need bars on the walls in the shower, by the toilet, or in the hallways?Is my bed low enough? Do I need a hospital bed? Do I need a bed on the first floor so I do not need to climb stairs? How can I make the stairs at my house safer?Is it OK to have pets in the home?What are other things that I may trip over?What can I do about any uneven floors?Do I need help with cleaning, cooking, laundry, or other household chores?Should I use a cane or a walker?What should I do if I fall? How can I keep my phone near me?Should I purchase a medical alert system to call for help if I fall?Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican Geriatrics Society Health in Aging Foundation website. Falls prevention. www.healthinaging.org/a-z-topic/falls-prevention/causes. Updated January, 2023. Accessed April 18, 2023.Hejkal J, Fisher AL. Gait, balance, and falls. In: Warshaw GA, Potter JF, Flaherty E, Heflin MT, McNabney MK, Ham RJ, eds. Ham's Primary Care Geriatrics. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 20.Phelan EA, Mahoney JE, Voit JC, Stevens JA. Assessment and management of fall risk in primary care settings. Med Clin North Am. 2015;99(2):281-293. PMID: 25700584 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25700584/.