The summer is almost over and starting September 22nd autumn arrives. The entire month of September is also Falls Prevention Awareness Month. This is a good time to review some tips to prevent those serious falls that can cause unnecessary injuries and ruin your fun.

What You Can Do

Almost every single second a person over the age of 65 will take a serious fall. It can happen to anyone at any age, however. Over 800,000 people are admitted to the emergency room every year because of an accidental fall and ankle injuries top the list of the most common type of trauma.

Here are some tips to help you prevent a fall in the first place:

• Wear shoes that fit properly. Make sure your shoes aren’t too tight or too narrow. The heel should not be too narrow either.

 

• Leave a nightlight on. Many falls occur at night when trying to get to the bathroom. It’s easy to trip over objects and injure yourself in the dark.

 

• Take care of any painful foot conditions. Problems such as bunions, corns, calluses, warts, and other issues can reduce mobility and increase the risk of tripping, slipping, and falling.

 

Pain or numbness can also contribute to taking a tumble. The healthier your feet are in general the less likely it is that you will experience a fall.

For more tips or if you’re having any problems with your feet, you can count on the foot doctors at Foot & Ankle Specialists, PC to provide fast relief for your feet using a full range of both conservative and surgical therapies. Our expert team, including board-certified podiatrists Dr. Scott E. Hughes, Dr. Greg P. Vogt, and Dr. Christine I. Tumele, serves patients of all ages with state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technologies including onsite digital x-ray, ultrasound, diabetic shoes, and digital scanning for custom orthotics.

For any questions or to make an appointment, please contact us at one of our Southeast Michigan facilities in Monroe (734-241-0200) and Lambertville (734-856-8900) (Bedford and Monroe counties). We also offer convenient house calls Monday through Thursday, so give us a call!