# Falling down



## moonvine (Feb 8, 2007)

I fell yesterday when over on the UT campus (ouch) and it got me to thinking about fat people and falling.

I've seen other fat people fall and it always scares me because I know how badly it hurts. It is also hard to get back up off the ground.

Do you think you fall more now than when you were thin? I think I do, but it has been 20 years or so ago since I was thin. My mom falls a lot, and she's very thin, but she's also almost 70.


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## Tooz (Feb 8, 2007)

Well, I was never thin.  I don't fall much now that I actually wear boots in the winter, but Fall Semester 2005, I fell three times. It hurt a fair amount, but I wouldn't say it hurt more than it would for a skinny person? Then again, I don't really know. And it was hard to get up only because I was smack in the middle of a huge patch of black ice two of the times.


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## moonvine (Feb 8, 2007)

Well, the easiest way for me to get up from a lying/sitting position (and maybe the only way I can anymore), I have to first get on my hands and knees with my butt up in the air, and then kind of haul myself up. I feel like it looks dreadful and it is kind of embarrassing (for me). If I could just stand up it wouldn't be such a big deal.


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## Tooz (Feb 8, 2007)

moonvine said:


> Well, the easiest way for me to get up from a lying/sitting position (and maybe the only way I can anymore), I have to first get on my hands and knees with my butt up in the air, and then kind of haul myself up. I feel like it looks dreadful and it is kind of embarrassing (for me). If I could just stand up it wouldn't be such a big deal.



I think when you wipe out like that, regardless of size, it's a bit of work to get back on your feet.


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## bigsexy920 (Feb 8, 2007)

Im famous for launching myself. I have some really good falling stories. 

Leaving the ice cream place thought I got down all the steps but I forgot about the curb. I didnt see it I was foucused on the ice cream. ANYWAY Splat rignt in the middle of the street I some how saved the ice cream from destruction. I was hysterical laughing and so was my sister. It was summer and I was wearing a dress. SO the families that were sitting at the benches got a good look at Berna and all her glory. 

Another time, also with my sister. She tells it better. Anyway, we were walking to pick up the chinese food we ordered and there was a cobble stone sidewalk part of the way. I feel some how, but my sister said we were just walking along than all the sudden I wasnt there anymore. She kept walking and it wasnt till I didnt respond that she realized I fell. Again we were hysterical. 

I personally have had funny and fairly uneventful falls. I have wittnessed some very scary falls that larger womean have had, where they just can't get up not even with assistance from others due to medical issues, not so much the fall itself.Thankfully the people helping the women in question were eventually able to help.

I personally can't imagine how scary, upsetting and humiliating it must be for some. Thankful, at this point in my life I can still get up, brush myself off and move on after a good laugh. 


I wonder how long that will last.


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## Tooz (Feb 8, 2007)

I wish I could laugh when I fall, but I'm always alone, so there's no one to cushion the "I feel like an ass" sense I get when I fall.


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## Dibaby35 (Feb 8, 2007)

I just fell a couple of weeks ago. Actually twice. Once on the ice in front of my car. My five year old of course laughs at me. Then I fell at the roller skating rink on my elbow ...ouchie (I still thought I could backward skate..LOL). Each time I feel like the ground shakes below me and everyone is snickering. Which I'm sure isn't the case but I just fall so hard. I wish I could fall a little more gracefully..LOL.


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## Sandie S-R (Feb 8, 2007)

moonvine said:


> I fell yesterday when over on the UT campus (ouch) and it got me to thinking about fat people and falling.
> 
> I've seen other fat people fall and it always scares me because I know how badly it hurts. It is also hard to get back up off the ground.
> 
> Do you think you fall more now than when you were thin? I think I do, but it has been 20 years or so ago since I was thin. My mom falls a lot, and she's very thin, but she's also almost 70.




I fell twice in the last year, both times at home. Because of the knee injury from a year and a half ago, it made it more difficult for Guy to ge me up off the floor (couldn't get up by myself). Thank goodness he is a big strong man and he could get me up. But it is a very scary thing. I always keep my cell phone in my pocket for this very reason. 

As fat people our center of gravity may be different (from thinner folks) which throws us off a little, and I think we need to be as careful as possible. A fall can be very dangerous for many reasons.


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## Tracyarts (Feb 8, 2007)

I am a klutz and wind up tripping and falling at least a couple times a year. I always land on my backside, my knees, or my side. So far, only a few bruises and bumps. I don't have any problems at all getting up off the ground or floor, so I always managed to just hop right back up, brush myself off, and continue on my way. But I fear the day when I *really* hurt myself and I need help getting up. 

I have known other supersized women (and men) who have literally been immobilized by a very minor fall or by simply "stepping wrong" off of a curb or to avoid tripping and have broken a foot bone. And that concerns me. I do try and be careful where I step, but like I said, I'm a klutz and occasionally just eat pavement. 

Tracy


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Feb 8, 2007)

I fell twice 2 years ago. And because of previous injury to my back from a car accident I still hurt from it. The first fall I was alone in the bathroom and I had to get myself up by pulling myself up using the kitchen cabinet. But I pulled something in the back of my right leg that took a looooong time to heal and when it is rainy I ache sometimes.

A few months later I fell again in our bedroom. This time Wayne helped me get up - it was NOT easy and he isn't that strong. 

I do think my weight has something to do with this. When I was 100 lbs lighter I never fell and I do feel that my balance is off and now (in our new house) I am SOOO much more careful.


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## ashmamma84 (Feb 8, 2007)

I don't find myself falling often. The last time was about 2 years ago, walking home in what some people would call a blizzard. I had my hands full --several bags of groceries and I was by myself (which if you ask me, is the scariest thing) and I remember "feeling" like I was about to land on my butt and the next thing I know, I was on the cold ground, groceries all around me. A nice man passing by helped me to my feet, but I'm just glad I didn't hit my head. That wouldn't have been good...

Oh and aside from the actual pain, I think for me, it's just an embarassment thing. Like I'm already fat...and falling (although it's not anyone's fault, usually) is not something else I want people to have in their arsenal of jokes, if that makes any sense.


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## Tina (Feb 8, 2007)

I haven't fallen in a very long time, because it's something I am hypervigilant about -- I know that if I fall I will hurt myself, because historically, I have, the last few times. This means I'm going to have to have some kind of crazy, spike-ass gear when I live in Montreal in the Winter, or I won't be going outside.


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## ManOWar (Feb 8, 2007)

*I highly recommend Tai Chi; after 10 classes of learning to balance, you will rarely if ever fall, even on ice, and it can be done by people of all ages and sizes and physical conditions. Plus it calms your mind.*


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## kerrypop (Feb 8, 2007)

I have fallen a bunch... I've always been a klutz. When I was six I was in a play and fell face first on the stage. The worst fall for me was at UO my freshman year. I was walking along, and in some places the school is pretty old, and tree roots have displaced the concrete. One of the concrete sidewalk panels was higher than the one I was on, and I caught it with my toe and went down _hard._ The worst part was that this group of tiny sorority girls was behind me, and they were like.. oh yeah, that's new. Look out! ...as they laughed and walked by. I got my ankle all twisted up and not only was I completely mortified, I had to limp to class, which was a decent walk away... I HATE falling at school.


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## SeekerSean (Feb 8, 2007)

I think no matter who you are, or what size you are; there is no graceful way to get back up after falling. I was standing at an intersection once while riding my bike and fell over for no reason. All slow to. I remember thinking, "Hey stupid, move...stand...do something!" and then boom, ground.

Sean


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## Tina (Feb 8, 2007)

ManOWar said:


> *I highly recommend Tai Chi; after 10 classes of learning to balance, you will rarely if ever fall, even on ice, and it can be done by people of all ages and sizes and physical conditions. Plus it calms your mind.*



Not a bad idea, ManO. I used to know advanced yoga moves, which also help with balance, but cannot do them any more, due to problems with my legs, so that would be a good alternative.


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## missaf (Feb 8, 2007)

I fell on the ice once, when I was pregnant  I was soooo scared, more than actually hurting myself or the kid. After that I wore snow boots to help keep my ankles strong and under me, as well as the traction on the boots.

I slipped on a puddle of water my kid accidentally spilled on the floor in the bath. I nearly beaned my head on the toilet across the room (when you're 5'9, you tend to sprawl pretty far!). It took me about 5 minutes to catch my breath and slowly get up, but what hurt more than my body for the next two days was seeing my son SO upset about spilling the water. He hasn't spilled since


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Feb 8, 2007)

I don't fall that often- I actually fell more in my younger days but I attribute that to my natural klutziness. I'm more careful now - especially after a serious injury at work two years ago when I fell down steps and sprained my whole left leg. I couldn't walk hardly at all for a week and it took over a month before I stopped limping. Being unable to afford to miss much work, I'm definitely more cautious- especially around wet stairs.


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## Zandoz (Feb 8, 2007)

Falling is a HUGE problem for me. I generally fall several times a year, and at least a couple times a winter. My knees, hips, and one ankle are all shot for various reasons...some due in part to my size, some not. Combine the joint issues with a lack of balance due to ear problems, and I amount to a fall waiting to happen, if I'm not sitting or laying. Because pressing my knees on anything solid is excruciating, getting up again is always a big worry...gotta kneel before standing.

I fell 2 weeks ago today and destroyed my thumb...can't even pick up a can of Dr Pepper any more with that hand without re-dislocating it. Yesterday, I fell trying to get in the car on the ice and packed snow...ended up with the upper half of me on my side wedged between the door post and steering wheel, with the lower half out the door and scrambling to get leverage to get unstuck...re-injured the thumb in the process.

Living in a house with the bedroom (and until recently the only toilet) on the second floor, and worsening joints, I know it's only a matter of time before I take the express route down the stairs...and it scares the crap outta me.


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## activistfatgirl (Feb 8, 2007)

If anyone remembers my falling down the stairs of my house post from a few months back, you'll know that when I fall, I _fall._ 

I never thought about this before, but being fat certainly did help cause that fall as I can't see my feet easily and its easy to miss steps that way. Ha ha.

I fell once years back on some melting ice in front of our ice machine at the gas station I worked at. I hit this sharp step with my ass. I got the hugest bruise imaginable, and I laughed latter that the bruise was bigger than the average person's ass.

All in all its good and bad this whole being fat and falling thing. I think fat could make me fall certain times (like the stairs), but usually I get tissue damage like bruising instead of broken bones (like my car accident), so that's a plus.


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## JoyJoy (Feb 8, 2007)

Before I got to the size I am now, I never fell...considered myself fairly graceful. Now I definitely feel like my center is off, and it doesn't help that my front steps are precarious. I've fallen three times in the 2 years I've lived there, the last time injuring my wrist. I'm thankful that was all I hurt, though, since I landed with my head only inches from a tree, which would have almost surely caused far more damage than a sprained wrist. I do find myself being more cautious now, because falling is something that does worry me. 

The only time I've even come close to falling in public was as I was walking into the convenience store near my house. It was one of those moments when you think you've stepped far enough to avoid the lip of sidewalk where it meets the rise of the parking lot, but the toe of my shoe just caught it, sending me careening into the glass door. I hit the door face-first and caused everyone inside to look up, many of whom laughed...I'm sure the look on my face was priceless. I didn't fall down, thanks to the door, but I'm very glad I didn't break it when I fell into it.


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## moore2me (Feb 8, 2007)

Moonvine & others,

I too have had my share of falling problems. I am "double-blessed" in that I am fat and I have a neuro-muscular disease (MS). Both conditions work together to make me fall about once a month. I am working hard to try and build up balance and strength in my legs to prevent falls. Some other things that helped me are listed on the following websites

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/spotlite/falltips.htm#2

http://ottawa.ca/residents/health/living/injury_prevention/senior_safety/homesafety_en.html

Although these sites (and others) are focused on seniors, a lot of the good work on falls have been done on this population.

On getting up, I too have bad knees and cannot use my knees to get up. I found a miracle device to get me on my feet. It is an air mattress that inflates with a electric pump. I bought an air mattress with a 500 lb rating and is at the same height as an average bed. I store it deflated, in a box, with its pump. I keep the box on the floor in a closet in the middle of my house.

When I fall, I can crawl over to the mattress, take it out of the box, lay it out on the floor & plug the pump in. Now I sit or lay on top of the deflated mattress and ride it as it "airs up". Believe it or not, this works great! It puts me back at chair level and I'm up and at it again. I can use the thing by myself if nobody else is at home with me.


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## rainyday (Feb 8, 2007)

What clever idea, Moore2me. I'd have never thought it would have that kind of "hydraulic" lift power as it fills up. Necessity breeds ingenuity for sure!



moonvine said:


> Well, the easiest way for me to get up from a lying/sitting position (and maybe the only way I can anymore), I have to first get on my hands and knees with my butt up in the air, and then kind of haul myself up. I feel like it looks dreadful and it is kind of embarrassing (for me). If I could just stand up it wouldn't be such a big deal.



This is how I usually get up too. Another option I've found is that if there are stairs nearby, you can crawl/scoot over to them and then just stand up.

My fridge has the unfortunate habit of leaking water at random unexpected times. At least four times in the last few years I've walked into the kitchen--usually rushing to answer the phone or something--hit water and in an instant my feet go out from under me and I'm on my tush. I'm never hurt because there's so much padding there, but I fear having it happen some time and landing a different way. The fridge is on the agenda to get replaced this year!


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## Ruby Ripples (Feb 8, 2007)

I don't fall any more now at the size I am now, than I did when I was slim. I have had four falls in the past ten years, I think thats not so bad. One was on a slippery pavement covered in black ice - one second I was walking my son to school - the next I was flat on my butt, my son helplessly giggling beside me. It didnt hurt at all, maybe the way I kinda slid down in slow motion, and I have short legs, lol. Two were going over on my ankle in what I came to view as my "danger" sandals, I actually sprained my right ankle severely in one of those falls, my entire foot, toes, sole etc was black with bruising and I had a limp for over a year, but on x-ray, nothing was broken. The second time I did that was outside my son's school and all he wanted to know was, did anyone see me  - of course I had to lie and tell him the entire school was emptying when it happened and I shouted to see if anyone knew where my son was, to help me, hehe. The last time was not long ago, when I slid on a frying pan with cold fat in it, and almost did the splits. (don't ask!) That was more worrying, as my kitchen is very small and strangely shaped and I had to think for a couple of mins, of how to best get up in that small space. 

I think in my case that although I don't fall any more now at more than double the weight I once was, when I do fall now it is much more awkward to get up, I have to almost get onto my hands and knees now too. I am pretty sure that like some others here, I AM more aware so probably also more careful.... ie. i just wouldn't go out and walk on icy pavements now, whereas years ago I would have.


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## Carrie (Feb 8, 2007)

I worry about falling down my stairs. They're long, and steep, and unfortunately, my bedroom is at the top of them. I worry that I'm going to fall and die and no one will notice that I'm gone until the smell seeps through the crack under my front door, and EMT's will break in, only to find that my desperately hungry dogs have gnawed off my face. 

Me, dark? Nah.


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## rainyday (Feb 8, 2007)

Carrie said:


> I worry about falling down my stairs. They're long, and steep, and unfortunately, my bedroom is at the top of them. I worry that I'm going to fall and die and no one will notice that I'm gone until the smell seeps through the crack under my front door, and EMT's will break in, only to find that my desperately hungry dogs have gnawed off my face.



Carrie, you just need to teach one of the pups to be the designated 911 caller. Haven't you seen those news stories on TV? 

I had really long, steep stairs in my old house that always made me feel like I was going to topple forward face first as I went down. So a lot of times I'd go down them backwards, especially if I was carrying something heavy made me top heavy going down.


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## fatgirlflyin (Feb 8, 2007)

I dont fall very often at all. The last time I did though, it was a whopper and in front of a whole lot of people. I was at work, was walking up the stairs on the outside of the jetway (the long hallway thing you walk through before getting on a plane) and I was in a hurry so not paying a lot of attention while going up the stairs. I open the door and take a few hurried steps inside and WHAM, I fell flat on my face. Someone had left a folded stroller right in front of the doorway and I didn't even think to look down as I stepped inside. Everything seriously went in slow motion. I could see myself falling, I could see a passenger reaching out to catch me and I could see the captain reaching out to catch me. I couldn't do anything to soften the blow cuz it was totally unexpected and all I remember was hoping that I didn't take those two guys down with me LOL. Nothing was hurt but my pride, pretty embarassing falling down in front of 100+ people. I walked around with a couple of pretty big bruises on my shins from where they connected with the stroller but otherwise no damage done, not even to the stroller. 

Now when I walk into a doorway the first thing I do is look down.


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## BitsyAintMyName (Feb 8, 2007)

I tend to fall often but it has more to do with my poor depth perception than my size. *sigh* Once when I was 15 I was running down the steps to answer the door and tripped on the last step. It wouldn't have been that embarassing if the door had been closed and my belated and much loved Nana hadn't seen me. It was scorching that day and so my mom locked the screen door and left the door open. I'm alot better at catching myself now but my wrists get hurt more easily.


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## mossystate (Feb 8, 2007)

I don't fall more now than when I was smaller, but I am more mindful of things since my knees are not what they once were.This thread also has me thinking about how I want to strengthen things.

A health board would be a nifty place for threads such as this.


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## Kimberleigh (Feb 8, 2007)

Tina said:


> I haven't fallen in a very long time, because it's something I am hypervigilant about -- I know that if I fall I will hurt myself, because historically, I have, the last few times. This means I'm going to have to have some kind of crazy, spike-ass gear when I live in Montreal in the Winter, or I won't be going outside.



Hey Tina - Stabilicers or YakTrax. 
Both of them work really, really well. The YakTrax are a little lighter, easier to slip off. The Stabilicers are very robust. 

As for falling down - I'm another klutz. I slipped today at my back door, coming in from putting out bird food. My worst fall broke my right fibula in 4 places. 
I try very hard to not fall down.
I don't think I fall more now than when I was smaller, I just bounce more.


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## Fuzzy (Feb 9, 2007)

Ditto to the post about everyone falls. No matter what size you are.

About six months ago, I misjudged my steps in a dark hallway, and I fell down the entire length of the staircase. Ripped up the skin on my left arm, and broke a bone in my right hand.


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## Wayne_Zitkus (Feb 9, 2007)

rainyday said:


> Carrie, you just need to teach one of the pups to be the designated 911 caller. Haven't you seen those news stories on TV?
> 
> I had really long, steep stairs in my old house that always made me feel like I was going to topple forward face first as I went down. So a lot of times I'd go down them backwards, especially if I was carrying something heavy made me top heavy going down.


If you have a cell phone, yoou could keep it on your person at all times; that way you would be able to call if you hurt yourself really bad and needed medical attention.

Just a thought.


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## MissToodles (Feb 9, 2007)

I'm queen of klutzes and believe falling so much on my knees has caused irreversible damage to my left one. It sometimes goes out on me and I need to limp around. It's cyclical, because this limits my range of motion and makes me more likely to fall. I also embarrass easily and although people come to my rescue, I shoo them away. 

I've always fell, even as a little kid. It's probably partly due to being in my own world.

Weird question: Does the way you carry your weight affect the if you fall forwards or backwards? I rarely fall backwards, which I would prefer!


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## Fairia (Feb 9, 2007)

I always thought that I had a tendency to be imbalanced in my walk and more than likely to be not as graceful. But yet, I think the one time I fell on my butt nude in the girls shower left an indent on my cheeks  .


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## missaf (Feb 9, 2007)

Wayne_Zitkus said:


> If you have a cell phone, yoou could keep it on your person at all times; that way you would be able to call if you hurt yourself really bad and needed medical attention.
> 
> Just a thought.


 
Unless you squish your phone, like I did once! LOL


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## kathynoon (Feb 9, 2007)

I was never really thin. I have fallen a lot through the years. Took many spills on the ice and knocked my head good. I have fallen going up stairs at work. I fallen when stepping off a curb. I can fall getting up out of a chair. I have fallen out of bed many times, which always amazes me. I have tripped and fallen over bumps in the rugs. ... It gets harder and harder for me to get up. I have to be able to grab onto something for me to get up with any semblance of grace.

My mother in her last years fell a lot. She had Parkinsons, and was a big woman. Once she would fall she was helpless getting herself up. My dad could not get her up alone. My brother came up with a good idea. He would lay a sheet on the ground. Then he would roll my onto the sheet. Then he and someone else would lift one end of the sheet up until my mom was in a standing position.

I like the inflatable mattress idea. What a great idea.


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## Zandoz (Feb 9, 2007)

moore2me said:


> On getting up, I too have bad knees and cannot use my knees to get up. I found a miracle device to get me on my feet. It is an air mattress that inflates with a electric pump. I bought an air mattress with a 500 lb rating and is at the same height as an average bed. I store it deflated, in a box, with its pump. I keep the box on the floor in a closet in the middle of my house.
> 
> When I fall, I can crawl over to the mattress, take it out of the box, lay it out on the floor & plug the pump in. Now I sit or lay on top of the deflated mattress and ride it as it "airs up". Believe it or not, this works great! It puts me back at chair level and I'm up and at it again. I can use the thing by myself if nobody else is at home with me.



Excellent idea for many. For me, I'd have to walk around with it in a backpack with a long plugged in extension cord...I couldn't do the crawl to get to it and get it plugged in.



rainyday said:


> My fridge has the unfortunate habit of leaking water at random unexpected times. At least four times in the last few years I've walked into the kitchen--usually rushing to answer the phone or something--hit water and in an instant my feet go out from under me and I'm on my tush. I'm never hurt because there's so much padding there, but I fear having it happen some time and landing a different way. The fridge is on the agenda to get replaced this year!



They make relatively inexpensive appliance trays for just such problems. We have to have one under our freezer for the same reason.


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## SoVerySoft (Feb 12, 2007)

I am always afraid of falling. I have fallen a few times in recent years, and I get horribly bruised. I've also gotten hurt pretty badly once.

Getting up is almost impossible, but I manage it with a chair or something to hold onto. I have bad knees so getting this fat ass off the ground without putting weight on my knees is not an easy feat.

I guess I put as much weight on my arms leaning on the chair so less is on my legs as I try to get into a position where I can stick my butt in the air and get up that way, with straight legs.

Having trouble explaining it, probably because I am so traumatized when I am doing it, I can't remember clearly. 

It seems to me it's like when you see a baby try to get up with its butt in the air.

Needless to say, I am terrified of falling. So I walk slowly and carefully, and always hold onto something even when going up and down a curb.


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## PleasantlyPlump (Feb 15, 2007)

I've hurt myself by falling a few times. I'm so paranoid about falling that now I walk so slowly and carefully around pools and when it's icy.

Once I was taking a short cut across an icy yard. It was sunny and I didn't realize that the ice was melting and very slippery. I fell right in the middle and into a puddle of ice cold water. 

I can only get up by getting on my hands and knees but I fell on my butt so by the time I got up I was soaking wet.

I was also in the middle and paralyzed with fear about crossing the rest of the way. I even thought about crawling instead of taking the chance of falling again but I didn't.

I think yoga and tai chi are a good idea for improving balance though.


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## supersoup (Feb 15, 2007)

i fall all the time, but thankfully mine have all been without incident, i'm able to just pick myself up after a gigglefit and move on. i'm uber clumsy.


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## -X- (Feb 15, 2007)

I've rarely fallen, can't even truly remember the last time I fell, but I think its because I took Tae Kwon Do and slight Aikido when I was younger. I've learned to balance myself well during those years during classes and I guess its carried on till now.


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## Zandoz (Feb 20, 2007)

Zandoz said:


> Living in a house with the bedroom (and until recently the only toilet) on the second floor, and worsening joints, I know it's only a matter of time before I take the express route down the stairs...and it scares the crap outta me.




Sometimes being right hurts like hell.


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## kerrypop (Feb 20, 2007)

Zandoz said:


> Sometimes being right hurts like hell.



Oh no!!  are you okay?!


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## Zandoz (Feb 20, 2007)

Other than feeling like two trucks ran me down...instead of the usual one...I'm gett'n by. Thank goodness for Vicodin & Percoset.


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## Tracyarts (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh man, I had to post an update to this thread...

I fell twice in the course of two days. Once Friday, once yesterday. Friday I fell while getting out of the car. Well, I was already out of it, but I think I lost my balance after I shut the door and turned to walk into the house and stepped in a kind of low place where the lawn meets the curb. I wound up scraping the heck out of my elbow on the side of the car (the inside of my shirt gave me a fabric burn). But, that was all the damage done.

Last night however... I was walking from one room to the other, tripped again (this time I think the rug slipped), and went down like a sack of concrete. But in such a way that my toes on my left foot bent backwards on themselves. Yep, I heard some pretty spine chilling popping sounds, and when I looked over, my toes were pointing in a way toes are not meant to point. Instinctively I tried to straighten them and heard that same yicky popping noise. I managed to crawl into the bedroom, and pull myself upright and hobble to the edge of the bed. We iced them every hour last night, and they are all pointing the right way this morning, I can wiggle them a little, but they just look kinda jammed. No bruising or swelling. Just hurts to put weight on the ball of my foot. So... I am going to be heading to the family clinic here in my town when it opens for walk ins this afternoon. They handle minor emergencies, so they can do an x-ray to see just what I broke or sprained and decide what to do about it. 

Blah! That is the first time I have actually broken or at least sprained something by falling. And did it twice in two days.

Tracy


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## ThatFatGirl (Mar 4, 2007)

Ugh! Sorry this happened to you, Tracy. Also glad you weren't hurt worse. Good luck at the clinic today and I hope you heal fast.


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## Violet_Beauregard (Mar 4, 2007)

Generally, I don't fall much, thank goodness. I can't remember the last time I fell on ice or anything. I trip once in a while, but usually don't fall.

I do have a falling story though, from about 5 years ago. I have a small two-story house. I have hard wood floors in part of it, namely the steps going upstairs. In the midst of a cleaning jag, I hopped upstairs to get my vacuum that I had left at the top of the stairs. Well, I normally wear socks around the house. So I hopped up the stairs in my socks. All well and fine except I had just dusted the stairs with my Swiffer....and Pledge.... Well, needless to say the socks and Pledged stairs were a bad combination. I hopped up to the top, grabbed the vacuum, spun on my heel and my feet slipped out from under me and I began bouncing down the stairs!! LITERALLY! I let go of the vacuum and it was bouncing down in front of me, and I was bouncing down behind it...on my left "cheek". The entire time I was bouncing I had several random thoughts run thru my head "OMG I spent $150 on this vacuum...it's going to be destroyed!" "OMG, what if I hit my head and get knocked out...I'm here alone, no one will find me!" "OMG, what if I really get hurt, how will I get help!" Seriously...all these things were running thru my head, and I just couldn't get myself stopped going down the stairs! Well, the bottom arrives. The vacuum lands, and I land on top of the vacuum!! I immediately hop right up on my feet, grab the vacuum and examine it to see if it worked...which it did, thank goodness. Then, after a few minutes, I began feeling the effects of the "ride" down the stairs.... My left "cheek" hurt so badly...I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I ended up with a bruise the size of a football on my cheek.... no joke. It hurt like mad for quite a while. 

I laugh hysterically about it now, and when I told my brother about it, he nearly wet his pants laughing! We fondly refer to it as my "riding the vacuum" story.... LOLOL


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## Zandoz (Mar 4, 2007)

Tracyarts said:


> Oh man, I had to post an update to this thread...
> 
> I fell twice in the course of two days. Once Friday, once yesterday. Friday I fell while getting out of the car. Well, I was already out of it, but I think I lost my balance after I shut the door and turned to walk into the house and stepped in a kind of low place where the lawn meets the curb. I wound up scraping the heck out of my elbow on the side of the car (the inside of my shirt gave me a fabric burn). But, that was all the damage done.
> 
> ...



Sounds like the same kind of thing I did a few weeks back to my thumb...the pointing the wrong way, crunching, and such. Hopefully yours will work out better than mine has. So far I can't pick up anything of any weight at all without it re-dislocating, and have a very limited range of movement and frequent crunching.


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## Tracyarts (Mar 4, 2007)

Well, I dodged a bullet yet again...

My toes are bruised a spectacular shade of purple this evening... But no bones broken, no tendons or ligaments torn. I pretty much sprained the hell out of all of my toes on my left foot. No real damage done. Which I was hoping for. 

Tracy


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## Violet_Beauregard (Mar 4, 2007)

Whew...good girl. Thank goodness...... Hope you're feeling better!

Vi




Tracyarts said:


> Well, I dodged a bullet yet again...
> 
> My toes are bruised a spectacular shade of purple this evening... But no bones broken, no tendons or ligaments torn. I pretty much sprained the hell out of all of my toes on my left foot. No real damage done. Which I was hoping for.
> 
> Tracy


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## imfree (Mar 4, 2007)

Violet_Beauregard said:


> Generally, I don't fall much, thank goodness. I can't remember the last time I fell on ice or anything. I trip once in a while, but usually don't fall.
> 
> I do have a falling story though, from about 5 years ago. I have a small two-story house. I have hard wood floors in part of it, namely the steps going upstairs. In the midst of a cleaning jag, I hopped upstairs to get my vacuum that I had left at the top of the stairs. Well, I normally wear socks around the house. So I hopped up the stairs in my socks. All well and fine except I had just dusted the stairs with my Swiffer....and Pledge.... Well, needless to say the socks and Pledged stairs were a bad combination. I hopped up to the top, grabbed the vacuum, spun on my heel and my feet slipped out from under me and I began bouncing down the stairs!! LITERALLY! I let go of the vacuum and it was bouncing down in front of me, and I was bouncing down behind it...on my left "cheek". The entire time I was bouncing I had several random thoughts run thru my head "OMG I spent $150 on this vacuum...it's going to be destroyed!" "OMG, what if I hit my head and get knocked out...I'm here alone, no one will find me!" "OMG, what if I really get hurt, how will I get help!" Seriously...all these things were running thru my head, and I just couldn't get myself stopped going down the stairs! Well, the bottom arrives. The vacuum lands, and I land on top of the vacuum!! I immediately hop right up on my feet, grab the vacuum and examine it to see if it worked...which it did, thank goodness. Then, after a few minutes, I began feeling the effects of the "ride" down the stairs.... My left "cheek" hurt so badly...I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I ended up with a bruise the size of a football on my cheek.... no joke. It hurt like mad for quite a while.
> 
> I laugh hysterically about it now, and when I told my brother about it, he nearly wet his pants laughing! We fondly refer to it as my "riding the vacuum" story.... LOLOL



My need for oxygen was discovered as the result of a fall-accident. It took two EMT's and a couple of bystanders to get me back up on my feet!
The 400lb 
Big Dog,
Edgar


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## Violet_Beauregard (Mar 5, 2007)

I'm fortunate to not have fallen over health issues....just a runaway vacuum... 

Glad you're still kicking!!





imfree said:


> My need for oxygen was discovered as the result of a fall-accident. It took two EMT's and a couple of bystanders to get me back up on my feet!
> The 400lb
> Big Dog,
> Edgar


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## DDP (Mar 5, 2007)

A distant relative of mine (3rd cousin?) dies from falling. She was in her 40's and was a little over 600 lbs. She went to get the mail that came in through the mail chute one morning, fell over and died. The cause of death was a heart attack. It's scary.
DDP


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## Zandoz (Mar 6, 2007)

Tracyarts said:


> Well, I dodged a bullet yet again...
> 
> My toes are bruised a spectacular shade of purple this evening... But no bones broken, no tendons or ligaments torn. I pretty much sprained the hell out of all of my toes on my left foot. No real damage done. Which I was hoping for.
> 
> Tracy



I hear ya...for a week or so I could have been a hand model for the Blue Man Group...without makeup.


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