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Preventing falls
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Knowing what to do if you do have a fall can help you feel more confident.

If you have a fall, you can follow the steps below to get back up. 

Person lying on floor after suffering a fall
1. Roll onto your side

Person recovering after a fall
2. Crawl or drag yourself to a chair

Person crawling toward chair after recovering from a fall
3. Face the chair and get up on your knees

Person climbing onto a chair after suffering a fall
4. Bring one knee forward and put that foot on the floor. Then use the chair to push up with your arms until you are upright enough to pivot your bottom around to sit

Person resting after recovering from a fall
5. Rest for a while before standing up

 

If you can't bend your knees very well, slide along on your bottom then lift your hips onto something higher, such as stairs. Then you can pull yourself upright again.

You might even like to practice these techniques so you’ll feel more confident if you ever need to get up from the floor.

It’s also important to have an emergency plan.

  • Know who to call for help—you could keep a list of the phone numbers of family or friends near the phone, or save them into your phone for quick access using one-touch dialling or save them into your favourites list.
  • Have a phone within reach on a low table, in case it is hard to get up.
  • Protect yourself by considering whether you want a device that raises an alarm in case of emergency.
  • Let trusted family and friends know how to get into your house if you can't let them in.

Supporting you to stay on your feet

For more information on falls prevention, read the Staying Active and On Your Feet booklet. This booklet is also available in other languages.

Remember, if you live in NSW, you can ask for a free copy of the booklet to be mailed to you. You can also download a copy.

 

© NSW Health 2015, Staying Active and On Your Feet