Falling down

[Jess from VA]

My dear old mother has had several falls.  The worst included putting a hole in the drywall with her head and going to the ER.  This led to her using a walker (2 different ones) to ambulate safely.  

The older we get, the less we can shrug off minor twists, bangs and falls.  It takes longer to come back.

I've forbidden her to fall again and we both laugh (but I mean it).

I've gotten more careful myself (work smarter, not harder Jess).

So 2 hours ago I needed to get under my desk for something and pulled my nice office chair out of the way to get under there (tight fit).  About one minute later, I get up and plop down into where my chair always sits, and went all the way to the floor.  

First, ouch!!  Second, boy are you a great big idiot.  Then I just sat there.  

I bruised a buttock/hip bone that will be with me a few days.  Nothing more.  Lucky.

Be careful out there.  


I guess I'll tell mom.  I like to make her laugh.  

[old2soon]

     Jess as you iz well aware of it's not funny gittin hurt BUT when you splain it now it's hilarious!  Also reffered to as losing S A-situational awareness! Coulkd also come under the heading as a Senior moment or a duh moment!  Heal up and check BEFORE ya park yer butt! RIDE SAFE.

[John Schmidt]

Some time back I started having difficulty pulling my pants off while standing so started simply sitting on the bed and doing one leg at a time...just pull off over my feet one at at time. I often will just step on one cuff with the opposite foot and lift that leg out, repeat for the other side. I do it whilst sitting on the bed and it's quite effective...if you make certain both feet are clear of the pant legs. Taking a step while one foot is still on the cuff area of one pant leg will give you a close up view of the area between the bed and nightstand. So I'm told! 

[Jess from VA]

John, I've gone monkey-over-tincup getting my pants off standing too.  You start to get a little wobbly, but the pants are like leg irons, and you either grab on to something or go over.   Some pants are worse than others (though my days of tight pants are long gone).  I have an old heavy duty wood library chair in my clothes room (stamped 1924 on the bottom).

I also got rid of my metal bed frame so it's a short 20 inch reach for the dark night trips to the pee station.  Lost the storage under there, but no more 6-18 months of dust bunnies under there either.   

   

[f6john]

Some time back I started having difficulty pulling my pants off while standing so started simply sitting on the bed and doing one leg at a time...just pull off over my feet one at at time. I often will just step on one cuff with the opposite foot and lift that leg out, repeat for the other side. I do it whilst sitting on the bed and it's quite effective...if you make certain both feet are clear of the pant legs. Taking a step while one foot is still on the cuff area of one pant leg will give you a close up view of the area between the bed and nightstand. So I'm told! 

John, I figured since your most recent marriage that you could flip the lights off, be out of your pants and in bed before the room got dark!

[Jess from VA]

Well, I can't see a bruise in the mirror, but am reminded of being a dummy every time I sit down.   

[old2soon]

     Thinkin here it boils down to gittin old Aint fer wussies!  RIDE SAFE.

[scooperhsd]

Yeah - I fell down on the concrete driveway on my right knee about 2-3 months ago, then reinjured it a couple days later getting onto the lawn tractor. I heard a pop / snap sound OVER the noise the running engine was making. And I couldn't walk on it immediately afterwards, and needed to use crutches around the house . A couple weeks later - it was still bothering me (polite term for still hurt like hell), so we went to the orthopedic clinic, where they put a steroid shot in (that did nothing). after some more time and walking gingerly on it, It gradually came back to normal.

[0leman]

Balance is a problem with us as we age.  Over the last decade I have been working on my balance when I work out at the gym.  In-between sets I walk a bit.  I put one foot down and lift the other balancing for a few seconds.  Sometime lift the leg in front or behind or to the side.  I know it look usual, but no one mentions it.  Does help my balance a lot.

Scoop, I know your knee pain.  I am experiencing that right now.  Left knee is talking to me and telling me that I have not been nice to it over the decades we have been together.  Have an appointment in few weeks an orthopedic type.

[John Schmidt]

Some time back I started having difficulty pulling my pants off while standing so started simply sitting on the bed and doing one leg at a time...just pull off over my feet one at at time. I often will just step on one cuff with the opposite foot and lift that leg out, repeat for the other side. I do it whilst sitting on the bed and it's quite effective...if you make certain both feet are clear of the pant legs. Taking a step while one foot is still on the cuff area of one pant leg will give you a close up view of the area between the bed and nightstand. So I'm told! 

John, I figured since your most recent marriage that you could flip the lights off, be out of your pants and in bed before the room got dark!

John, you better believe it. But at this age it's mostly due to it being winter up here and I have one of those electric fartsacks which I turn on 15 minutes before hitting the sheets. After 53 yrs. in Florida, anything under 60F feels like absolute zero to me. If any other resident wants to join me, well.....

Oleman, I do much the same thing re. balance. When I first get to the gym I spend some time on the treadmill, usually gets the pulse up to around 80-85/min. after about ten minutes. Before I start walking I always spend time standing on each leg alone, do it for a couple minutes each side. It seems to help with stability...physically anyway. Mentally...that's a whole different side of it.

Strange...I can no longer do one-legged squats while holding a 25lb. plate. I must be getting old but my knees are happier so there's a good side to it.

[cookiedough]

mother in law, physically in good shape, just fell down day before christmas going to goodwill to give away stuff in her house, etc.   luckily only broken glasses, and bruised shoulder and badly bruised face under her eyes where her heavy duty glasses came smashing onto her face.  She got lucky at near age 83 and only about 125lbs. she is trying to retain what muscle mass/weight she has left.   

Ever since my hips replaced past few months,  I still cannot put on my socks by myself and have starting this year started sitting down on edge of bed to put on pants, etc.  Am sure I will continue this trend rest of my life.