University of FloridaSolutions for Your Life

Download PDF 
Publication #FCS2233

Fall Prevention: How to Handle a Fall1

Leigh Ann Martin and Linda B. Bobroff2

Follow these steps to decrease the chance of further injury after a fall.

Don't Panic

After a fall, panic is often the first reaction. It’s important to stay calm so you can think clearly and get help fast.

Check for Injuries

If you think you may have a broken bone or other injury, don’t get up. Yell for help or crawl to the telephone and call for help.

Get Up If You Can

If you can get up, do so slowly. Here’s how to get up safely:

Roll over onto your side

Crawl to a chair

Pull yourself up

Turn & sit down

Make a list of phone numbers of people you can call in an emergency. Keep the list by the phone. If you need help immediately, call 911.

Footnotes

1.

La versión español de este documento es Prevención de Caídas: Como manejar una caída (FCS2233-Span). This document is FCS2233, one of a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date: April 2005. Revision publication date: October 2011. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Written in 2005 by Leigh Ann Martin, MESS, former ENAFS nutrition educator/trainer, and revised in 2011 by Linda B. Bobroff, PhD, RD, LD/N, professor; Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences; Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences; University of Florida; Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.