Falling over Vs having a fall

It has its advantages, especially during the heatwaves. I can go without a bra!

🤣🤣

Oh there is a huge difference between having a fall and falling over. I think it's definitely partly age that distinguishes the two, but there is more to it than that. I think there are elements and health, frailty and fitness associated with it.

If you have someone with impaired mobility, on crutches, or who is morbidly obese and who struggles to get up again, even if they are 30, I think most would use 'had a fall'.

I think if you have some in their 40s, 50s or even 60s that are super fit and healthy, the sort of people who look like they go to the gym 4 times a week, regularly go running or climb mountains, these would all be people who fell over rather than had a fall.

I agree with the PP who made the distinction between people laughing if you fall over, and people being worried and rushing to help if you have a fall.

Agreed that "Had a fall" tends to imply age.

Since breaking foot bones landing badly, the impact of a fall distinguishes "fell over" from "had a fall" for me.

If someone can get up easily with minimal injuries, they "fell/tripped over". What I'd done occasionally.

If someone injures themselves or needs help getting up, they "had a fall".

I’ve also had those conversation!

If you like lingustics, you'll like this: In southern Africa, if someone says "my father is late", it means he has died.
Extrapolated from "the late So-and-So".

Sorry for derail…you’ve reminded me of a tiny lady I used to work with who had ginormous bosoms. I’m surprised she could stand up. One day in the office she said”Ooh - I just leaned forward and me boozies were typing for me!”

She could have been played by Babs Windsor for sure.

Ill get my coat…

I envy you. 😁

I have small breasts so I might miss out on the “heaving “bosom!” 🤣

🤣🤣

Yes I think the difference is a specific outside object caused you to fall over (an uneven kerb, a slippery surface) but a fall is when it’s your own body that has caused the fall.

lol I was thinking this exact thing a few days ago 😂 I looked in the mirror at my bra less reflection (was wearing a top) and thought, have I now got what my old aunt used to call boooozoms. Once you start looking like Les Dawson’s character with the heaving ‘bosom’. 😂

In the days of covering up piano legs because they were considered indecent there was also a feeling that chicken breast was a bit rude, so apparently genteel people would carve the bosom of the bird.

Ridiculous to us, but if we’re honest, we do a huge amount of fussing and euphemising today too - we just don’t think of it in that way.

Could it be to do with the active/passive implications? You actively fall, but having a fall makes you sound less in control -it’s more like something which happens to you and implies you’re more vulnerable?

It’s always girls that have a “bosom” friend!

Or indeed a ‘mono-bosom’!

Definitely a matronly asset.

We are at the half way house on this where if someone falls you wait a few seconds to see if they are actually injured before you laugh - or not! Although sometimes it's involuntary if it is a very comedic fall.

My GP defined it as "If your friends laugh before they help you up, you fell over. If people rush to help, you had a fall."

I am in my mid sixties and twice in the past year I have made involuntary full body contact with the ground damaging a different knee each time. The first time I was at home and able to pull myself up by hanging on to what was around me, the second time I was in the middle of the road and needed assistance to get up. Both times I admit to having had a fall.

Completely agree, falling over and having a fall are very different. You tripped, with your hands full, and face planted. Awful but very different from falling from a dizzy spell or mobility issues. Hope you feel better soon

They’re saying you had a fall because of your age- you won’t heal or feel the same as a ten year old!!! Hope you’re ok x

The final stage of falling is when “had a fall” gains capital letters, a short pause and knowing look, and is delivered in hushed tones. “She…Had A Fall 😏”. You’re definitely not superannuated enough for that type of mishap.

I had a very stupid falling over incident due to incorrect lacing of my walking boots, I was mortified that two men rushed over to help me up like I was infirm so immediately jumped up declaring I was fine and carried on what I was doing but actually it really bloody hurt and I should've stopped and iced my knee, have since had weeks of knee pain which is only just easing.

I suppose I’d distinguish the two (in my own head) as I fell over - tripped / hazard fall and had a fall - just buckled and fell without an obvious trigger.

We have had exactly the same conversation. I thought the turning point is around 60, but OP is 45.