You run the danger of suffering severe injuries from falls. Use these easy fall prevention strategies to avoid falls, such as hazard-proofing your house and evaluating your prescriptions.

As you age, it’s critical to think about fall prevention. As you age, falls are more likely to occur due to physical changes, health issues, and occasionally the drugs used to treat those conditions. Actually, one of the main causes of injuries among senior citizens is falls. However, your life doesn’t have to be controlled by your fear of falling. Instead, think about these six easy fall prevention techniques.

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1. Schedule a consultation with your physician.

First, schedule a consultation with your healthcare professional. Your healthcare professional might want to talk about the following in order to determine your risk and go over fall prevention techniques:

Your prescription drugs. Bring your prescription and over-the-counter drugs and vitamins to the appointment, or make a list of them. Your doctor can check your prescriptions for interactions and adverse effects that could make you more likely to fall. Your doctor may suggest weaning you off of drugs that impair your thinking or cause fatigue, such as sedatives, antihistamines, and some antidepressants, in order to help prevent falls.

any prior falls. Jot down the specifics, such as how, where, and when you fell. Prepare to talk about the times you nearly fell but were snagged by someone or were able to catch something in time. Your healthcare physician may use information like these to pinpoint certain fall prevention techniques.

Your medical conditions. You may be more susceptible to falls if you have certain eye and ear conditions. Be ready to talk about your health issues and how comfortable you are walking. For instance, do you have any joint discomfort, lightheadedness, dyspnea, or numbness in your legs and feet while you walk? Additionally, your health care professional may assess your gait, balance, and muscular strength.

2. Continue to move

The prevention of falls can be greatly enhanced by physical activity. With your doctor’s approval, think about doing things like walking, water exercises, or tai chi, which is a mild kind of exercise that consists of slow, elegant dance-like motions. These exercises increase flexibility, strength, balance, and coordination, which lowers the chance of falls.

Inform your healthcare practitioner if you refrain from exercising because you fear it may increase your risk of falling. Your doctor could suggest closely watched workout regimens or suggest a physical therapist. Your balance, flexibility, and muscular strength may all be enhanced with a personalized training regimen designed by the physical therapist.

3. Put on suitable footwear

As part of your fall prevention strategy, think about switching up your footwear. Shoes with slippery bottoms, floppy slippers, and high heels might cause you to trip, fall, and slip. Walking in your stockings might also help. Wear sturdy, well-fitting shoes with non-slip soles instead. Joint discomfort may also be lessened by sensible footwear.

4. Eliminate household dangers

Examine your house for any possible fall hazards. To increase the safety of your house:

Clear the pathways of boxes, newspapers, phone cables, and electrical cords.

Plant stands, magazine racks, and coffee tables should be moved out of busy places.

Use double-faced tape, tacks, or a non-slip backing to secure loose rugs, or take them out of your house.

Repair the carpets and loose hardwood planks immediately.

Keep food, clothes, dishes, and other essentials close at hand.

Clean up spilled food, oil, or liquids right away.

Put non-slip mats in your shower or bathtub. To sit while taking a shower, use a bath seat.

5. Illuminate your living area

Keep your house well-lit to prevent stumbling over obscured things. Additionally:

Install nightlights in the corridors, bathroom, and bedroom.

If you need to get out of bed in the middle of the night, have a lamp close by.

Light switches that are not close to room entrances should have unobstructed routes. Think about replacing conventional switches with lit or glow-in-the-dark ones.

Before descending or ascending stairs, turn on the lights.

In the event of a power outage, keep flashlights in convenient locations.

6. Make use of assistive technology

To keep you steady, your doctor may advise you to use a walker or cane. Additional assistive technology may also be useful. For instance:

Stairway railings on each sides

Non-slip treads for steps made of raw wood

A toilet seat that is elevated or has armrests

Grab bars for the bathtub or shower

A strong plastic shower or tub seat, along with a handheld shower nozzle for seated bathing