Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 9: Falls

Have You Fallen in the Past Year? You’re not alone

As our age increases, so does our risk of falling. Do not think you are alone if you have fallen in the past year, about one third of people over 65 have. The causes of falls have a very wide range starting from poor lighting to balance disorders. There is no standard to classify these risk factors but they can be categorized into intrinsic or extrinsic risk factors.

Intrinsic risk factors encompass anything within the body. For example, blindness or lesser visual deficits, hip and knee weaknesses, weakened grip strength, or even functional and cognitive impairments. These types of risks are best discussed with your doctor.

Extrinsic factors include environmental issues like poor lighting, throw rugs, lack of safety equipment, smooth surfaced floors, or even the type of shoes you wear. Other extrinsic factors consist of taking pharmaceutical medications that have negative side effects.

These risk factors are different for each person’s case and if multiple factors are involved, the risk that you will fall increases. It has been shown that assistive devices like walkers or canes have helped prevent falls but they have not proven to be the sole reason of fall preventions. Thus it is important to be aware of all the risk factors that could affect you so you can prevent a fall. -Alex Brogan