Don’t Ignore Your Body’s Warning Signs
How closely do you listen to your body? Do you wait to make doctor appointments, hoping things will improve?
I’ve discovered cracking a hip is not the only serious injury, your hip can sustain.
Here I sat, a week after my fall. Reading about instinct, and ignoring mine.
After my fall last month, I was so relieved the X-ray showed no break in my hip, I didn’t check Web MD. Usually, the hypochondriac in me scares the crap out of myself, reading online medical sites. But this time, I just ignored it and waited to heal. Dumb move. Really dumb.
I assumed I was going to be fine. The warning signs were all there, but I chose to ignore them.
After 4 weeks of aching, popping in the joint and shooting pain, I decided to see my internist. She knew what was wrong immediately. My symptoms were text-book for a Labral Tear. She said I should have seen her within a week of my fall.
It turns out, falls are the leading cause of injury in older adults.
How big is the problem?
- More than 1.6 million adults go to emergency rooms for fall related injuries every year.
- One in three adults over 65, fall each year.
- Less than half the people who fall, talk to their doctors about it.
- Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries.
That’s a big problem.
Ways to lower your risk of falling
- Exercise regularly and focus on increasing leg strength.
- Work on improving your balance. Strengthening your core muscles help with balance, as does Yoga, Ballet and Tai Chi.
- Have your eyes examined yearly, and make sure your glasses have up to date RX lenses.
- Wear sensible shoes. Rubber soles are great for cushioning, but can also catch on floors, and stop you short. Causing you to lurch forward.
- Make sure the lighting in your home is bright enough to see well. Especially in stairwells.
- Use non slip mats in your tub and shower.
- Make sure you are getting enough Calcium and Vitamin D to keep your bones healthy.
- Keep electrical cords out-of-the-way and move low obstacles you could trip over.
None of these would have helped with my fall. I tripped over uneven asphalt, the county should have repaired. But I’m implementing them to protect us for the future.
I’m now scheduled for an MRI and set me up for physical therapy, which I should have started right after my fall.
I find it interesting that my younger self was a persistent patient advocate for my melanoma. But my 59-year-old self put her head in the sand and ignored my body’s warning signs.
I waited to get it properly examined, and I shouldn’t have.
Do you wait to go to the doctor?
Great post and advise. I’m so sorry to learn of your fall. I do hope everything works out well. I see doctors far to often for my health issues I often put off aches and pains. Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. Watch for your feature on Monday xo
Hi Jennifer,
I’m sure you’re getting lots of advice, medical and non-medical. I’m sure you’re hearing a lot of stories, related and unrelated, to your injury.
Many people care about you, myself included. Your readers are caring and supportive.
Please take care of yourself.
Smiles,
Sandy
What an important and so often not talked about subject. I think you are probably among the majority who under report — we don’t want to complain, right? I hope you mend quickly and get back to exercising soon! Keep spread the message about falls and fall prevention!
Hi Jennifer. I’m a new visitor from over on Midlife Boulevard!
So sorry to hear about your injury. One of the things I hate most about getting older (both for myself and my clients), is the increased risk of an injury due to falling. Your suggestions are bang on; in particular, working on strengthening the legs and improving balance. I also like to do speed and agility drills with my clients, to ensure that they can respond quickly, in all directions, if something ends up in their path.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
P.S. I always see a physiotherapist immediately upon injury (after not doing so far many years and being out of the gym for longer as a consequence 🙁 )
Hi Jennifer, I’m so sorry to hear about your hip. I had a hip injury about a year ago and it took so long to heal. It seems as we get older we are more injury prone and it takes much longer to heal. Thank you for all the great tips.
I hope you are feeling like dancing soon!
Cherie
http://www.stylenudge.com