What to Do After a Fall: When to Get Up, When to Wait and When to Seek Care

You’ve probably heard a lot about the importance of fall prevention. After all, falls are the leading cause of injury for older adults — and falling once doubles your chances of falling again.

Sometimes we can do everything right and still take a tumble. But what you do next can actually make a big difference — in a good way! Keep reading for practical tips on:

• How to get up safely after a fall

• When it’s safer to stay down

• How to get help

• When to go to the doctor

How to Get Up Safely After a Fall

Getting up after a fall can be tricky because we tend to lose some agility and flexibility as we age. However, it’s a skill you can develop with time and practice.

Follow these step-by-step instructions to help you get up safely after a fall:

1. Stay calm. Take a few deep breaths, then stay still for a minute or two to help your body get over the shock of falling.
2. Assess for any pain or injuries. Only proceed to the next step if you’re not hurt and think you can get up safely without help.
3. If you’re lying down, carefully roll onto your side. Rest again while your body and blood pressure adjust.
4. Look for the nearest chair or another piece of sturdy furniture like a couch or table (or even a large and well-trained dog!) to use for support.
1. If there’s nothing nearby, scoot your way to a staircase. Put your bottom on the lowest step and use your legs to push yourself up to a higher one. Or sit on the top stair, put your feet on a lower step and pull yourself up using the railing.
2. If you fall outside, look for stairs, a low brick wall or even a car bumper to help pull yourself up.
5. Slowly push yourself up onto your hands and knees and crawl to the chair. If you have knee problems and can’t crawl, scoot on your bottom or roll your way over.
6. Place your hands on the chair.
7. Slide your stronger leg forward so that your foot is flat on the floor. Keep the other leg bent so that your knee is on the floor.
8. Push up with your arms and legs to slowly stand up. If you can’t fully stand, turn your body to sit in the chair.
9. Even if you can stand, sit down and rest for a few minutes and reassess for any pain or injuries. It’s important not to get up too quickly and risk falling again.
10. Call your doctor. They can do a thorough exam to see what may have caused the fall and ensure you don’t have hidden injuries or complications.

Note: A partner or caregiver may be able to support you as you use furniture to help yourself up, but if they try to lift you as deadweight, it could cause further injury to both of you.

When Is It Safer to Stay Down?

While you might be in a hurry to get up and put the fall behind you, that’s not always the best course of action. Here are a few instances when it may be unwise to get up after a fall:

• Hazards: If a hazard like a throw rug, slippery floor or uneven sidewalk caused the fall in the first place — and the hazard is still there — it’s safer to stay down.

• Blood: Blood is a red flag telling you not to move. Instead, call 911 and wait for help.

• Visible deformities: Bruising or swelling could indicate a fracture or sprain.

• Pain: If something hurts after a fall, it’s best to stay put. That’s because if you’re seriously injured and you try to get up, it could make the injury worse.

How to Call for Help

Falling can be scary, but with the help of technology, you can get the assistance you need. Here are a few different options:

Phone

• If possible, keep a charged cordless or mobile phone with you at all times.

• Activate voice control on your cell so you can call for help even if you can’t reach the phone. Just say “Hey Siri” (iPhone) or “Hey Google” (Android); then ask the device to call 911.

• If you can’t reach a phone and voice activation isn’t enabled, try to crawl, scoot or roll toward the device.

• If the phone is still out of reach, try using a long object like a cane, broom, yardstick, backscratcher or hooked coat hanger to pull the phone toward you.

• If the phone has fallen into a narrow space, try attaching a strong magnet or double-sided tape to a long rod or string to lift the device.

Smart speaker

If you have an Amazon Echo device, you can purchase Alexa Emergency Assist, a subscription service that can quickly connect you to live responders as well as your emergency contacts when needed. Just say, “Alexa, call for help” for assistance any time of the day or night.

Medical alert system

Traditional medical alert systems consist of a wearable device like a bracelet or pendant that will either detect a fall on its own or get triggered when you push the help button. As long as you’re wearing the device when you fall, it will alert the monitoring center, your emergency contact or emergency medical services of your need for assistance.

Smartwatch

If a nontraditional emergency contact system is more your style, consider wearing a smartwatch that’s equipped with a fall detection feature. The Apple Watch SE 3, for example, can automatically help connect you with emergency services, provide dispatchers with your location and notify your loved ones after a fall.

Going to the Doctor After a Fall

If you experience any of the following symptoms after a fall, see your doctor as soon as possible:

• Signs of head injury (e.g., confusion, dizziness, ringing in the ears or vision changes)

• Any new pain (e.g., back, joint or stomach pain)

• Any limitations to your usual movement

While not all falls result in injury, you might not notice signs of a problem until days after the incident. Call your local ArchWell Health center first and let us know you had a fall. The care team can schedule you for a same day sick appointment.

A fall can also alert your provider to a problem that can be corrected, such as issues with your medications or eyesight. To help prevent future falls, your doctor may suggest a walking aid, physical therapy or other lifestyle changes.

Common injuries after a fall

Every year, nearly a million older adults are hospitalized because of a fall injury — most often a head injury or hip fracture.

• Head injuries: These can be very serious, especially if you’re taking medications like blood thinners. If you fall and hit your head, see your doctor right away to rule out a brain injury. Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries.

• Broken bones: Falls can cause broken bones, such as ankle, arm, hip and wrist fractures. Each year, nearly 319,000 older adults are hospitalized for hip fractures — and 88% of ER visits and hospitalizations for hip fractures in older adults are caused by falls. If you think you’ve fractured a bone after a fall, stay where you are and call for help.

A Word from ArchWell Health

While taking steps to improve your balance and prevent falls is essential, understanding how to respond to falls is just as critical. And if you’re wondering whether you need to see a doctor or head straight to the ER after a fall, give us a call! ArchWell Health’s primary care providers are available to answer your pressing questions whenever you need them — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.