What to Do After a Fall: The Right Steps to Take
Falls are the sort of injuries that can happen at practically any moment. You may be just walking and you trip and fall, you may also suffer a fall when you are perched up in a higher position, among many other scenarios. While sometimes falls may not be serious, sometimes a fall may lead to one suffering serious injuries, especially internally. When one is involved in most accidents, falls included, medical experts are usually quick to advice one not to move abruptly just in case they have serious internal injuries. This is because such movement will only serve to make the situation worse by potentially making the injuries worse. Abrupt movement can also lead to one suffering from internal injuries, especially in cases of broken ribs which can injure internal organs. It is therefore to know how to go about things right after a fall. The problem however, most people don’t usually know the safe way to go about things after a fall. The good news however to that end is that this article will look to highlight the right steps one should take when they suffer a fall, and we hope it will come in handy the next time you or someone you know suffers a fall.
The subject matter experts over at frontlineer.com recommend that the first thing one should do immediately after suffering a fall is checking for injuries. You should take some time to check if there is any pain or injuries immediately after a fall, from all over the body. If you find that after inspection you don’t seem to be hurt, try to get yourself up from the floor. If, however, you find that you are hurt and as such can’t get up from the floor, you should call for help as soon as possible. As you wait for assistance to arrive, it is also advisable that you keep yourself warm as well as try to keep yourself moving the best way possible that you can. During the initial check for injuries, some of the warning signs that you should keep your eyes peeled out for include back pain, pain in the rib or chest area, a numb or tingling sensation in the extremities, shortened leg or a leg that is visibly deformed, especially in cases where it seems externally rotated among others. This is that you can be able to tell if you have suffered leg or pelvic fractures as well as head or spinal cord injuries.
The next steps are for those that are not that badly hurt and can get up. For such people it is important to get up from the floor in the safest way possible. As a rule of thumb, as is covered in detail over at frontlineer.com, it is recommended that the first step in getting up after a fall involves rolling onto your side then slowly pulling yourself up to get on your hands and knees, crawling towards an object that is sturdy enough to support your weight as you get up such as a chair, once you get to that object use it by supporting your weight with your hands on it and get up slowly, by sliding one foot forward so that it is flat on the floor, with the other knee remaining on the floor, before you do the same for the other foot and get up. You can also assume a sitting position first before standing up just to be extra safe. It is recommended that after you get yourself up, you should find somewhere and sit for a few minutes without doing else so that you can see how your body react as sometimes injury symptoms may be delayed, especially for cases of concussion.
For those that have been injured during falls, you shouldn’t attempt to get up but should call for help so as to avoid making your injuries worse, as mentioned above. As is covered in detail over at frontlineer.com, there are a number of ways to call for help such as physically shouting and screaming for help, using a phone to call someone or even 911 for medical professionals as well as making use of a personal alarm if you have one. To prevent hypothermia from ensuing, ensure you keep yourself warm as you wait for help to arrive. This can be achieved by ensuring you keep your body moving, wrapping yourself with a nearby blanket or duvet, moving away from hard surfaces such as concrete floors and tiles and towards a carpet or rug among others. Other than seeking medical assistance it is also important to document anything about the fall that may come in handy if you decide to take up legal proceedings. This can include taking photos of the accident scene as well as talking to any available witnesses and see if they may be willing to help.
The above are some of the steps to take after a fall, with more on this and other related topics to be found over at frontlineer.com.
