HEALTHY HABITSâ—½ YOU
Once You've Fallen
by Marcy Lytle
Last June, I was dressed in a really long pair of flowy trousers, along with a flat pair of pointed shoes – not a good combo! I realized the pants were too long and before I could get to the closet to change, I took a step and the toe of my shoe caught in the bottom of my trousers. In an instant, I felt like I was hurled to the ground, hitting my shoulder on the edge of a bench near my bed. It hurt, and I was nauseated, so I knew it wasn’t good. I was surprised, though, to find out that I had a small fracture and a tear, and I had to baby that shoulder for a long time – with some minor permanent disabilities! Not so cool.
​
After that fall, I was so careful and nervous to even walk anywhere. But over time, I got my confidence back and began to think of some things I had learned after that fall that might help us all, to stay upright and safe:
​
Don’t get in a hurry. I’m a hurrying type of person, when I shop and even work around the house – I hurry along. It’s probably not a wise practice, because I’m always running into the corner of something when I hurry. Hurrying also makes for poor judgment when stepping somewhere.
​
Have a good view of your feet. Both my husband and I caution each other when we’re carrying boxes or other things that might block our vision as we step out the front door and down a step to carry something to the car. Gotta be able to see your feet before you step!
Long trousers, beware. I see lots of (especially young women) wear pants that drag the floor. If they get caught under your shoe, like mine did, you too could hurl forward. Long, flowy trousers are a double whammy, even if they’re leisure pants. One time some loose pants sort of blew in the wind as I was going down steps and got under my sneaker! Thankfully, I saw it and caught myself.
​
Grab an arm. When I fell, for a while after that, I grabbed my husband’s arm when walking places, just to regain my confidence. I kept having visions of seeing myself hurled forward and it unsteadied me. Just having an arm to hold while crossing a street or parking lot made me feel so secure. Grab a friend or a kid – they won’t mind!
​
Get dressed and hold on. You know, what I’m talking about. Standing on one leg to put in the other leg in a pair of pants, or pajamas, or underwear, even for the best balanced person can sometimes result in a fall. You might think that second foot will aim and slip in that second leg, but it could catch and you could get off balance. I find that holding a desk or drawer or even something in the closet with one hand, helps steady while I lift that other leg into place.
​
No platform sneakers. These were a thing, and I still see women of all ages wear sneakers with a very thick sole. The problem with these is that if you step off a curb or sidewalk and it’s uneven, your ankle can turn very easily, and down you go! I had a friend break her ankle like this!
​
Heels with caution. I only wear block heels if I need height now. I loved wearing tall heels when younger and I even see young moms carrying babies wearing high heels and running! Oh, gosh, did I do that? Heels can get caught in tiny holes, or if you have narrow feet like I do – your foot may slide sideways. When I do opt for higher heels, I only wear them when I’m going to be sitting for the evening, like in a wedding or an indoor event, and not when I have to walk blocks and blocks.
​
Falling isn’t fun, at any age. And when an orthopedic doctor warns you about falling at a mature age, it sort of rattles your cage. At least it did mine. I’m more mindful now of balance, uneven surfaces, the shoes I wear, and yes…the length of my pants. And once you’ve fallen, it’s scary to keep walking again without thinking of the fall. So be careful out there! I know, I am…