Falling down

[caryc]

I constantly hear folks say horseback riding is good for your balance. But then, getting thrown is not good for your bones.

Its been over twenty years since I straddled a horse, and sure do miss it. But I believe riding did improve my balance, and certainly helped my back problems.

Bob Wright

Horseback riding is not always healthy. My Dad was riding one of my sisters horses and when he came back in and was ready to dismount, he didn't do it the regular way. He swung his right leg over the saddle horn and meant to just slide down off the saddle. The was a big gentle horse and he didn't get upset over such different things. Trouble is my Dad didn't get his left boot totally out of the stirrup. With that boot still caught in the stirrup, he went down and hit the ground right on his knee. We had to get him to the hospital which was not to far away. He spent about a week and a half there and was in a whole leg cast for maybe five or six weeks. Yeah, it was a broken knee cap. My Dad was ok after about six weeks. We shot the horse.

No No No, just kiddin' :!:

As a PS...One of my nephews was riding that same horse on the dirt roads around my place. He was going into a curve and a guy on a dirt bike came screaming around that curve and slammed right into the horse. The horse reared up and the bike hit him right in the belly and tore him open pretty bad. My nephew was riding bare back and just slid off the horse when he reared up. This time the horse did get shot. My brother in law had to do it. I heard that the bike rider was taken to the hospital but I was not too concerned with him at all, so I heard nothing further.

I despise all dirt bikers. They have no respect for people or their property at all. There is a dirt road that runs the length of the side of my property and they go screaming along that road probably hitting 60 miles and hour.

 

[Mobuck]

"The roof and gutters are now forbidden territory for this hardy DIY personage."
Dang, that reminds me to get the ladder out next warm(not windy) day and clean the gutters. Can't do the north side until the ground thaws since I have no desire to repeat the 'ladder leg kick out' scenario.

 

[BearBiologist]

I had a Brother in my Masonic Lodge that said everyday was his "birthday". He was 92 and had been a Pharmacist's Mate on PT boats during WWII. We always had a cupcake or donut or something for him with a candle. I asked around what the story was. Everyone said ask Gale. So, my wife did and he told her: "Everyday above the grass was a birthday because (a) he was 92 and (b) he had survived a kamikaze attack during the war.

\Anybody asks me how I'm doing and I answer: "I'm still on the right side of the grass!"

 

[vito]

Not only is falling more likely as we age, the injury from the fall is also more likely to be serious. Two years ago, at age 76. I was taking a bag of trash out to the big trash bin when I slipped on an icy spot that I did not clearly see. What might have just been a bruise when I was younger turned out to be a complete tear of my rotator cuff. I manage fairly well, but was told t hat the only real solution is a total shoulder replacement, something I am not yet ready to accept. And then this past June I tripped on something (maybe my own feet since I was wearing rubber flip flops) on the sidewalk by my front yard. I have no memory of the fall, nor of walking into my house with blood streaming out of my scalp, nor of my wife driving me to the ER, nor of the examination and CAT scan they did to rule out a brain bleed. The first thing I recall about the whole incident was when the doctor was saying that the CAT scan was negative and that I could go home. My first question was "Wait, where am I? Am I in the hospital?". That was 8 months ago and the memory of that fall and the immediate few hours after the fall are still lost time to me.

In part due to my age, I did switch from a regular big motorcycle to a 3 wheel Can Am Spyder. But age or not, I will ride as long as I possibly can handle it. Giving up riding will be the same as accepting one foot in the grave and I am not going down that path willingly.

 

[Watchman]

You older guys should take up sailing. It's good exercise, it builds good balance, and if you fall the water catches ya! :mrgreen:

As an aside, it was a good movie too...

 

[BROKENBEAR]

Same boat here at age 75 ...I'm still active. hunt fish shoot etc ...but still have to be careful ..2 or 3 things thought will help or at least have helped me

I make my self put my clothes on every morning standing up backed up to the bed (except socks)

I have a 3" tall 24" square platform I make myself step up on and off of repeatedly all 4 ways ..forward, backward, left n right ..so I am attacking balance and cardio

I never ever will move without my eyes open (your sight HAS TO replace what our internal gyro has lost due to age) and if moving into an early morning deer stand for example .. I give up stealth to a degree by using a red or green lens flashlight ..I don't close my eyes when bending over drying my legs after a shower

I do close my eyes in the shower ..BUT ..I installed this which is not an option but nos a requirement ..just do it ..see link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006WKKGTW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Or the very least this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000S8O9ME/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Every morning the first thing I do is put a single cell LED flashlight the size of a chap stick tube in my pocket ..I stop moving if I am suddenly cast into darkness and grab my pocket flashlight

Last I do not know how for you to learn this (I learned it in high school and college football and GI airborne chute training) but you have got to LEARN HOW TO FALL ..simplest description is tuck and roll

Bear

 

[Pat-inCO]

I decided it was better to fall in a controlled manner than
to try to catch myself and get hurt worse in the process.

Agree completely. I started that before I turned 50 and it has served me
well ever since. :wink:

I also agree with the "tri-pod" approach. I found a G O O D oak handle for
a shovel/rake and drove a 16 penny nail in to the ferrule end, then filled the
remainder of the ferrule with epoxy. - - - I've been using that for more than
a decade, and it looks like it will outlast me.

Almost a P.S. . . . As you walk down the trails, few people coming at you will
try to "push you aside" when you have that large a stick in your hand. :wink:

 

[Jeepnik]

The comment about being pushed aside rang a bell. As a kid I learned to respect older people. The absolute last thing you’d do is push one. Sadly I’ve been shouldered aside on trails, city sidewalks, stores and theme parks.

I admit I was at first angered by these kids rudeness. Then I realized they simply weren’t raised right. So I decided to help them learn politeness and respect. If shoved, I shove back harder. The look of surprise and outrage is heartwarming. A sadistic smile on my part just adds to the teaching moment.

On occasion, especially in heavy foot traffic, when someone is on the correct side a quick outward flip of the cane has very gratifying results. While not every rude and inconsiderate fool learns, I am doing my best to educate them in the manners their parents should have instilled.

Plus it’s rather entertaining with the occasional bloody body part as a bonus.