Falling over Vs having a fall

[BuzzyWeeThing]

I fell over while at work. It was a bad fall, I was carrying things so I did not put my hands out fully to protect myself. I landed on my face. My DP was phoned and was told I had ‘had a fall’. I’m 45 and fell over, I’m not elderly and had a fall. Word got round work and I’ve had messages saying they’ve heard I’ve had a fall. Grrr I’m feeling old now.

I’ve also had those conversation!

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".

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.

🤣🤣

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

Had a fall to me is where the fall was due to your own frailty or physical limitations. Whereas falling over is caused by an outside factor.

So someone young could have a fall if they have mobility issues or something. And someone elderly could fall over if, for example, someone stuck their leg out.

Michael Rosen discussed the difference between ‘having a fall’ and ‘falling over’ on R4 Word of Mouth. He’d fallen over and objected to being told that he’d had a fall - on the basis that ‘having a fall’ is something passive, something that happens to you rather than you doing something to cause it.

To me:
Falling over - you tripped on something, slipped on something, stepped off the kerb, missed your footing on the stairs etc
Having a fall - your body doesn’t support you on a minor wobble.

I fell over big style running for a train last year, when my foot caught the edge of a raised plinth foundation of a column supporting the roof. That was definitely a “fall over” as something got in my way.

I think I’m saying the same as Michael Rosen on this.

Though falling over doesn’t always merit a laugh (I have been guilty myself 🫣). I’ve never had a ‘fall’ but I have fallen over several times which has resulted in bleeding, limping and even tears 😕 I avoid walking over those manhole cover things like the plague if it’s been raining, as I had a nasty slip on one a couple of year’s back and hobbled home with torn leggings and bleeding knees, it was comforting to know though that even early 60s I didn’t suffer anything more than surface injuries. 😭 I think the outside forces vs body controlling it is a better gauge.

I’ve just seen this article on the BBC website about a group of “seniors” in Singapore who amongst other things are learning to fall over safely by practising Parkour. Maybe I should join them in anticipation of “having a fall” some day (am in my 60s) 😀

Parkour for seniors in Singapore

I think it’s about 10 years older than whatever age I am the time!

I am 65 and tripped over a kerb a month or so ago. I did not consider that to be “having a fall”. It’s absurd to describe a fall that way when you’re only 45!

I was in hospital recently for a completely non-fall related issue, so I was surprised when someone introducing himself as a therapist (I did wonder if he was the physio- or psycho- variety -it turned out he was an occupational one) came to my bedside and asked all sorts of questions about whether I had had any falls recently, and if I could cook for and take personal care of myself? Considering I had just been on a trekking holiday, and spend a lot of time caring for grandchildren and elderly neighbours, I laughed out loud. I then realised that I have actually reached that age of having a fall rather than falling over! His questions and the realisation that I have now joined the ranks of the elderly immediately made me feel frail and vulnerable, although it had never crossed my mind before.

I was late, was running and tripped over my own feet outside a building site. About five young strong builders rushed to my aid. I later realised this was because they were worried I had fallen because of something they had done or left on the pavement ( it wasnt) but it was very gratifying at the time. I had grazes on my knee and palms, I had fallen, not had a fall.

When I say running, please understand that that is a relative term, I was walking a lot faster than usual and my feet might at some point been lifted higher than my ankle…..

Did anyone ask you if you wanted a blanket, in a slow, loud condescending voice, in case you get confused....

Spot on!

My own definition is if you get up easily without help you fell over. If there are "consequences" and visible evidence - bruising, dressings etc - then it's a fall.

I have a 71 yr old friend who corrected a doctor who said she'd 'had a fall'.

'No, I fell.'

She's a fit woman and the doctor wanted her to start using a walking aid...She'd slipped on gravel whilst walking her dogs, during a break from her dance class and had landed badly.

Once I hit 60, every single ruddy time I saw a different HCP they asked how many falls I'd had in the past year...

I supposed that there might be something on my medical record - I fell at the age of 58, down the main staircase at work when I was running to the photocopier to get worksheets for the class of an absent teacher.

However, my distinct impression is that the question is age related.

DH was 71, a retired teacher and active karate instructor when he had his triple bypass. (He was a very fit man, but inherited heart trouble from his maternal grandfather.)

Nurse to DH: "Who. Is. Your. Carer?"

DH: "Eh?"

Nurse: "Who tucks you in at night?"

I do attend a "Senior Flex" class where the leisure centre managers imagine we're just doing gentle exercise.

There is a great deal of emphasis on stretches, leg flexibility, squats, etc, but also cardio and upper body training with weights and jumps.

However, we are also doing balance exercises at speed.

Nevertheless, I'm told that the general manager was horrified when the photos that an instructor took for publicity purposes showed us doing overhead presses with weights - she was looking for pics of us sitting down whilst checks notes passing a ball to one another...

I thought that, but mine inflated with age and weight and I thought I was stuck with the matronly look for good. (A bit of a nuisance at times.)

I joined the gym and the most noticeable difference (to my mind) is that area: they've gone back to what they used to be - much easier for running and exercise. (My HRT was tweaked at one point - I'm convinced that's made a difference as well as the exercise.)

They went down before the weight started to go in at the sides. I'm still like a beached whale on the belly...I guess that might make more prone to falling on my face...

For me having a fall means it had consequences, which is more likely with someone older. I tripped while trail running a while back and ended up in minor injuries to be steristripped back together again, and found myself describing that as having a fall.

I think it's of concern when you fall not because of an accident because you are frail or unstable - I was asked about fall history before a DEXA scan but they weren't at all interested in the time I came off my bike!

I was in hospital for an op last summer and the nurse came with the ‘Falls Risk Assessment’ form, she said they have to do this on any one over 65 years old (I’m 72). I told her I’d been on crutches for three months earlier that year, due to a fairly minor fracture received from a fall in iffy snow conditions when skiing in the Alps. She laughed out loud and said that was not the sort of fall the form was asking about, and asked no more questions.

This has made me laugh, sorry!

I had a nasty fall in January. I'm 54. I refer to it as a mishap, not a fall!

Before you know it it’ll be “she’s had one of her falls”. Def in the elderly category

Thanks for the heads up!!