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Falls
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Falls

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Summary

Falls can be dangerous at any age. Babies and young children can get hurt falling off furniture or down the stairs. Older children may fall off playground equipment. For older adults, falls can be especially serious. They are at higher risk of falling. They are also more likely to fracture (break) a bone when they fall, especially if they have osteoporosis. A broken bone, especially when it is in a hip, may even lead to disability and a loss of independence for older adults.

Some common causes of falls include:

  • Balance problems
  • Some medicines, which can make you feel dizzy, confused, or slow
  • Vision problems
  • Alcohol, which can affect your balance and reflexes
  • Muscle weakness, especially in your legs, which can make it harder for you to get up from a chair or keep your balance when walking on an uneven surface.
  • Certain illnesses, such as low blood pressure, diabetes, and neuropathy
  • Slow reflexes, which make it hard to keep your balance or move out of the way of a hazard
  • Tripping or slipping due to loss of footing or traction

At any age, people can make changes to lower their risk of falling. It important to take care of your health, including getting regular eye exams. Regular exercise may lower your risk of falls by strengthening your muscles, improving your balance, and keeping your bones strong. And you can look for ways to make your house safer. For example, you can get rid of tripping hazards and make sure that you have rails on the stairs and in the bath. To reduce the chances of breaking a bone if you do fall, make sure that you get enough calcium and vitamin D.

NIH: National Institute on Aging

Start Here

  • Falls and Fractures in Older Adults: Causes and Prevention From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute on Aging) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

  • Balance Tests From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Fall Risk Assessment From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

  • Fall Prevention: Simple Tips to Prevent Falls (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Preventing Falls and Hip Fractures (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Preventing Falls: Tips to Keep You on Your Feet From the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

  • Keeping Your Balance (Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation)

Statistics and Research

  • Facts about Falls (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • FastStats: Accidents or Unintentional Injuries (National Center for Health Statistics)

Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Accidental Falls From the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

  • Article: Effects of hearing intervention on falls in older adults: findings from...
  • Article: An Exploratory Study on Virtual Reality Technology for Fall Prevention in...
  • Article: Occupational therapy and registered dietitian services to reduce fall risk among...
  • Falls -- see more articles

Find an Expert

  • National Institute on Aging From the National Institutes of Health Also in Spanish

Older Adults

  • About Older Adult Fall Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Balance Problems (American Geriatrics Society) - PDF
  • Falls Prevention: Unique to Older Adults (AGS Health in Aging Foundation)

Patient Handouts

  • After a fall in the hospital (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Bathroom safety for adults (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Exercises to help prevent falls (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Preventing falls (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

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Falls

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

  • After a fall in the hospital
  • Bathroom safety for adults
  • Exercises to help prevent falls
  • Preventing falls
  • Preventing falls - what to ask your doctor

Related Health Topics

  • Balance Problems
  • Wounds and Injuries

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Falls is the National Institute on Aging

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Falls

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The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.

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