Falls Prevention and Awareness

September is National Falls Prevention Awareness Month. The Brain Injury Association of America supports efforts to spread knowledge about the danger of falls and how we can work to prevent them. Falls lead to nearly half of TBI-related hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Falls can affect individuals of all ages and may happen at any time. Unlike other causes of brain injury, such as combat, motor vehicle accidents, and near drowning, falls are not restricted to specific environments. This makes them particularly dangerous.

The following article explores how you can reduce the risk of falling, including making lifestyle changes and adjustments to your home. 

What types of brain injuries can occur from a fall?

• Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also known as a concussion: A concussion is caused when the brain receives trauma from an impact or a sudden momentum or movement change. Concussions can cause the person to have dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, and nausea, among other symptoms.
• Contusion: A contusion is a bruise on the brain caused by something striking the head, which can cause bleeding and swelling in the brain.
• Penetrating injury: Also known as an open head injury, a penetrating injury occurs from the impact of a sharp object. In a penetrating brain injury, that impact forces hair, skin, bone, and fragments from the object into the brain.
• Closed head injury: A closed head injury occurs when an outside force hits the head without any penetration of the skull. The force of the injury often causes the brain to swell. Since the brain has nowhere to expand, it can lead to increased pressure within the skull. As the brain swells, it may expand through any available opening in the skull, leading to medical complications.

How can you prevent falls through lifestyle changes?

• Stay physically active: Exercising and moving regularly strengthens your muscles and helps keep your body flexible. Not only does this minimize the risk of falling, it also lessens the chance that you’ll be injured in a fall.
• Get your sight and hearing regularly checked: Vision and hearing are essential in knowing what is going on around you. Any vision or hearing loss can greatly increase your risk of falling. Be sure to get your eyes and ears checked regularly.
• Scan your surroundings: Sometimes falls happen because we’re so used to our surroundings that we zone out and stop paying attention. Take a moment to check for clutter, spills, or other unexpected obstacles next time you’re rushing out the door or carrying laundry down the stairs.
• Avoid distracted walking: We all know that distracted driving is dangerous, but so is distracted walking. Texting or scrolling while walking puts you at risk for tripping and falling. If you need to check directions or read a text, put a pause on your walk.
• Review the side effects of the medications that you take with your doctor: Some medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness, and other symptoms that increase your likelihood of falling. Speak with your doctor to ensure you know all the side effects of your medication and ask about alternative options if you have concerns.
• Check your Vitamin D levels: One study found that a daily dose of vitamin D can reduce the risk of falls in older adults by 19 percent.
• Wear appropriate footwear: Wearing shoes that don’t fit correctly or that are not suitable for your environment increases your chances of falling. Avoid wearing shoes with slick soles, high heels, or worn-out treads, especially if it is raining or snowing.

How can you prevent falls in the home?

• Avoid uneven surfaces:  Be aware of any places in your home where there is uneven flooring. If possible, replace flooring altogether. 
• Install bars or railings: Adding supports to areas in your home where falls are common, such as stairs and bathtubs, can reduce the risk of falling and sustaining a brain injury.
• Declutter high-traffic areas: Forgotten toys, discarded backpacks, electrical cords, loose shoes and socks — all of these things can turn into a trip hazard. Keep your stairs, hallways, and other high-traffic areas clear of clutter.
• Ensure you have adequate lighting: A simple way prevent falls in your home is to have ample lighting. Make sure that you have easily accessible light switches and bright light in all the rooms in your house.
• Avoid using ladders and stepstools: Ladders and stepstools present opportunities for injury. If you are at particularly high risk of falling or can adapt a task, try to avoid using these items. Alternatively, ask a friend or relative to spot you, or hire an expert.

While some people are more prone to falling than others, falls occur in all population segments. If you are concerned about your personal fall risk, talk to your doctor about your unique situation and the steps you can take to decrease your chances of sustaining a brain injury as the result of a fall.

For more information on falls and fall prevention, check out the resources below:

• BIAA’s Falls and Traumatic Brain Injury Brochure
• CDC STEADI Tools and Education Materials
• National Council on Aging National Falls Prevention Resource Center
• National Council on Aging Falls Prevention Awareness Week

If you or someone you know has sustained a brain injury as the result of a fall, please contact the National Brain Injury Information Center at 1-800-444-6443 for support and resources.