Feel lucky to be alive after falling forward down my stairs.

[Tolkienista]

I'm writing this just to say that you never know what is round the corner and for me I'm still in shock that I had the luckiest escape ever.
Saturday night I was on my own & stupidly descended a few steps of my staircase & leaned over the bannister to turn down the thermostat. I felt my foot pretty much disengage from the tread I was standing on and I was in free fall heading head first down the stairs.

It was probably only a milli second but I literally thought, I'm going to die as I was going forward and I knew the point of impact probably eight steps down would be my head. Miraculously I somehow managed to grab the rail on my right side and slammed into it with my body. It stopped me falling further and I disentangled myself and realised I'm alive.

Yes I've got bruised ribs, but nothing paracetamol can't deal with.

But I'm here to tell my tale and realise that at worst I could have died and at best I'd have sustained a head injury but to what degree I don't know.
Cue a massive sigh of relief , a massive reflection on my life and all that I've done to safeguard myself & then I throw it all away by endangering my life turning down a thermostat over the bannister.
If you've read this far, thank you for your time ........I just needed to get my story out there and say I'm safe, I'm fine, I'm really thankful and most importantly I'M ALIVE.

It's amazing more people aren't badly injured . So easy to do. Bet A&E see a lot of this type of accident .
Read about a man who was a bit drunk , fell down stairs but unfortunately went through glass pane and bled to death as he lived alone.
My friends mother fell over in her garden just down a few steps holding shears but somehow cut her main artery and again bled to death . Her husband was inside watching horse racing . It was only when a neighbour looked out her back window and alerted everyone that she was tended to. Very sad and husband wracked with guilt .

Never thought I'd agree with three words more in my life.
"Stairs are lethal"

I fell down the stairs 7 months ago and my coccyx and lower spine have been sore ever since; i can't sit or lie down comfortably at all.

Stairs are surprisingly dangerous for something so common.

Gosh so sorry op. What a relief!

I have to say this thread makes me so grateful that I live in a ground floor flat.

Falling down the stairs head 1st was my 'rock bottom' to give up drinking. I even hit a stair gate & took it clean out!
How I didnt die or do myself serious injury is a miracle.
Not touched a drop since.

I 'missed' the last step coming down the stairs the week before Christmas and fractured my foot. Still not allowed to bear weight which is awful, but the psychological effects have been the worst thing. The horror of hearing the snap, my 18 year old son having to scoop me up and take me to hospital, my whole foot and lower leg going black. The triage nurse said I was lucky I didn't do more damage.

It's not a risk you expect to run in your own home is it?

@Squirrel60why the hell is she living in a place like that? You are lucky to be alive.

I fell down 2 flights of stairs and landed inches from the glass door at the bottom
dislocated my shoulder where I had grabbed at the rail and broke my ankle and foot but very lucky

Just to make everyone even more nervous of doing normal stuff - Hanif Kureishi (the writer) just passed out and fell over forwards in his living room and the angle of his fall broke his neck. Paralysed from the neck down. It’s a miracle any of us get through the day.

Oh I'm so glad you're okay.. l fell down mine from top to bottom 12 years ago age 55.. l broke both hips and pelvis.. but nothing they could do then.( complicated) I've been in pain with my right hip ever scince .. im on list for a new hip any time soon.. sending soft hugs.

I know of 2 people who died falling down the stairs, Im extra cautious because my dogs have a tendency to charge up and down the stairs when Im on them.

I’ve known two people just this year who have tragically died from falling down the stairs. It’s utterly heartbreaking.

I’ve known someone who died falling down the stairs too.
It makes me wish I lived in a Bungalow.
Im glad you survived to tell the tale, OP.

I hate stairs, particularly unfamiliar ones.

My elderly dad lost his balance taking a cup of tea up to my mum one morning in 2019 and went backwards down the whole lot resulting in a cracked rib and 4 broken vertebrae.

Miraculously he was able to walk again unaided after about four months but he never really fully recovered and it impacted the remaining two years of his life.

I'm moving at some point this year and although I'm only 50 am planning to futureproof by getting a bungalow.

I had an accident about 10 days ago, although just the last 3-4 steps, for a few seconds it was like slow motion really scary and and I’m still hurting and badly bruised from it. I make sure I’m extra careful now.

I am glad you are OK. DH fell all the way down our stairs. They are wood and thus slippery, his hands were full and he was only wearing socks (foolish 😂). He was fine apart from some bruises, an elbow sprain and a small bump on the head. We took him to be checked out because of the head bump (not NHS so no wasting of valuable resources occurred). He was very lucky! I haven't dared walk down the stairs without slippers/shoes on since.

My son when he was two fell down the whole flight, luckily he was fine, the doctor said because his bones were more supple than someone older.

Oh wow, I never thought I'd get so many responses to my post but thank you to each and everyone who has taken the time to respond with their own or others experiences.
It's utterly terrifying what can happen from a fall and as many have outlined, paralysis or death are not uncommon.

If I'd fallen downwards on my back, I wouldn't have written this post, but the fact that I was falling forward was utterly terrifying and I genuinely thought my life was over with the injuries I'd sustain.

Stairs really are lethal, to everyone suffering with recent injuries. @Tolkienistarib injuries can be so painful, I find holding a cushion against the area makes it easier if you need to cough or move a certain way. The shock of a fall or seeing injuries on your own body is horrible, it really can take a while to move past it. Are you in a big boot on crutches @Wickeswench?

I am epileptic so my house is basically toddlerproofed as much as possible but I still manage to injure myself regularly (including when I was in A and E waiting room!) I had a seizure in our small bathroom last year and when I came round, my legs looked like the guy in Misery after Kathy Bates had taken a hammer to them. I’ve had two black eyes this Christmas and one black eye last Christmas. Obviously I don’t hear bones snapping etc as I’m not conscious but waking up and seeing injuries or only feeling them when I try and move is really disconcerting/unnerving. I really feel for my family (and strangers) as they must be awful to see/hear.

Unexpected “close brushes” really do give you a jolt and @RenoDakota you going to make your will immediately afterwards really resonates!

Some awful stories on here and I hope those in pain feel better soon, and that you have someone taking care of you and helping you out.

In my sixties and fit and well, I missed the last two steps for some reason and ended up with a fracture in the lower spine. I'm fine again now thankfully and every time I have a CT scan (for another issue) the docs are amazed to see the damaged spine and how I have no effects from the injury. I don't know why either!

Anyway, I was having renovations done and I got the very best thing ever IMV for stairs..... a handrail on both sides. I kid you not, I come flying down those stairs with a hand on each rail like a ballerina! Just gives great balance and confidence. Oh and don't carry heavy or awkward things up or down. I put stuff in a bag and drag it up behind me, and literally throw stuff down to the bottom (unbreakables of course!).

When going away, I pack my suitcase downstairs, thus only having to kick or slide the empty case down the stairs where I put a mat or old blanket to soften its arrival in the hall and prevent it damaging the floor!

Gotta be sensible and careful out there.....

Yes! I was just thinking that! My dog ABSOLUTELY must get ahead of me, up or down, and every time, I now stop and hold on to the railing! Am 50+, not 90+, and this thread seems to prove me right, unfortunately.

Yes great advice.
I normally come down too with a hand on both rails, but sadly not on Saturday, just a few steps down and leaned over the bannister on the left........then it happened.
The benefit of hindsight.

I felt a bit panicky just reading your post, OP! Thank God you're okay 🌺 🌹

Yes, ALIVE and raring to go!
So glad you're fine

I'm only in my early 60s but for a while now have had a habit of leaving my slippers at the bottom if they are slip on ones & walking down one step at a time.