Hi Jenny,
Here is some more advice about fall prevention and balance from the community. I hope that it helps:
Cate English
Oh Jenny
What an awful shock for you. Do you have access to an OT through outpatients? They can certainly help you.
I was a major fall risk after my stroke as I had dropped vision in my right eye so everything looked crooked … flat surfaces looked like steps & steps looked flat. I nearly cut off my hand when I first got home trying to slice a loaf of bread because my eyesight was so disturbed. Luckily my sister was here & stopped me.
I would be seeking support through your Outpatients or GP for OT, neuro physio & any other support you may need as you rehab & adjust, especially if you live alone.
Don’t give up hope, it does get better as you adjust to your new body. And the Stroke Foundation are so supportive, they helped me so much.
Kerri Kezzil Jeffery
I find if I’m trying to rush when I can’t really rush at all. Doing too many things at once. Thinking too far ahead rather on the present task and depending on time of day tiredness and you get clumsy. As you try and be the same person as before. It’s certainly be kinder to yourself life now, slow and steady and good sleep time and a rest in middle of day when you feel like too many things to accomplish in a day start overlapping. We are so eager to push ourselves and get the best person out of ourselves.
Pip Hicks
I can so relate
I have fallen too many times and it’s through not being in the now mode- I’m distracted, trying to keep up with others, not wearing my foot lift SABO as I want to look “normal”, doing stupid things that I shouldn’t
Do physio get stronger so when you do fall you can get off the ground and BE IN THE NOW
Take care of yourself.
Debra Culver
A fall is so scary. It has been 6 mos for me and I still get scare. I bought helmet for outside or when I do certain chores in the house. My right foot and arm are my weakest. I use a cane in the morning and when tired. There are many stroke rehab videos on you tube that still help me. I am needing a shoulder and knee replacement that makes me nervous. You take care.
Ree Al
It has been ten years for me and I still need to be careful with my balance. For me, the main thing in latter years has been a sometimes unreliable left foot so it has become second nature to be mindful of where I'm placing that foot. Originally I did some strengthening exercises, building up the core as the saying goes and that greatly improved the situation, with balance and everything, really. In the early days I mapped out parts of my home to cling on to if needed when getting from A to B such as a door frame or touching the back of a chair when passing to steady myself. If you're a bit shaky, don't stress out if you need to do that, use a walking stick or whatever makes you feel safe. The strength building exercises really helped me, and a friend made a good recovery through walking along the beach, so if he fell it would be on sand and not a hard surface. All the best, Jenny; practise and time will help as it is only early days yet. xx
Colin Silk
Sorry to hear Jenny, falls hit confidence pretty hard, I’ve fallen once a year for 11 years, most were in first 6months though, so it does get better, my falls generally either stupidity and overconfidence. We have no choice but to move excessively slowly and plan here to put our feet. Balance rehab classes could help? Plus I tried every physio I have ever had to teach getting up independently. Finally learnt after 3 months with an exercise physiologist, weekly learning a step by step approach. Thankfully never had to use yet in real world fall.
Lee Moran Cormack
Jenny I was a faller and so was my Mum, I"ve had two strokes, I have a plate in my head and I have 12 body fractures. I believe not falling is a work in progress and can also depend upon your personality. I have sought advice from my podiatrist, my physio therapist and my physiologist. All the advice has been very helpful but for me, there came a time when I decided I had to learn from the information and work it out myself. I am a bush walker and I love walking around in the fire trails near to where I live in the Blue Mountains NSW so it's essential I keep myself upright. My son gave me two hiking sticks for bushwalking and I use one of them currently, he also bought me a walkie talkie, actually one for me and one for my partner, he was worried I'd fall down a rock face in an area that wasn't mobile phone friendly. I mostly look downwards because that's where the danger usually is. But last year I was in a book store looking for a child's book and I wasn't looking downwards, so, I fell down a flight of stairs in the shop, which meant another ambulance to hospital and more scans etc. I could write for ever on this topic but you'd fall asleep. Please talk to a professional you feel you can trust (this can take time) and take it from there, I did and I feel more confident now and I work hard not to do anything or go anywhere I shouldn't. Take care.
Bec Cohen
Due to the risk involved, i would look at a kitchen trolley. Make sure your shoes are well fitting but if you're having difficulty with knowing where your feet are in relation to your body or you're not picking your feet up fully, make sure your shoe soles aren't too thick. Make sure you are aware of all of the corners when going from different surfaces. OT assessment to check for home modifications or falls education. If gait and falls become frequent, physio assessment for strengthening and balance exercises as well as possible walking aid for when you are feeling fatigued as this is often a precursor for falls so if you are aware of times you are more fatigued, attempt to minimize activity during this time. I am an OT trained in Stepping On which is an evidence based program designed to educate and complete exercises for strengthening which was something we did in all NSW hospitals. In Victoria, we tend to just refer to the falls and balance clinic but it might be worthwhile investigating a personal alarm especially if there are times that you are home alone. You can get alarms now that can sense falls and if they don't detect movement for a certain period of time, they will alert your chosen contacts. These are great for piece of mind especially if this fall has caused you to lose confidence.
Pamela Miller
Please look around your home and assess risk. Better to be minimalist and safe. Remove all tripping hazards, especially rugs.
Perhaps consider a personal safety alarm in case you fall and cannot move. Take care x
Elisha Deegan
Core strengthening exercises was what I did a lot of and still continue to have to revisit regularly to reduce my falls risk.
That said I still fall over 13 years out from my strokes. Reducing the clutter and trip hazards, wearing good shoes and then when all else fails learning to go down gently.
Lesley Ganderton
My best thing I ever did for my balance was without a doubt
Start walking in a heated pool hanging on to the side only do 5min to start I can’t stress enough how much this saved myself from the horrible effects of no balance please reach out to me if you need help
