Why do falls occur in Parkinson’s disease?
Falls in Parkinson’s disease are an almost inevitable symptom that may indicate the gradual progression of the disease. Several causes can lead to this:
- Balance disorder
- Stooping and Other Postural Changes
- Freezing and delayed muscle response
- Poor vision
- Muscle loss weakness
- Side effects of medications used for other conditions (depression, insomnia, hypertension)
- Dangerous Surrounding Environment
What are the dangers of falls?
The fact is that as a result of falls, patients may suffer injuries and sustain concussions, bruises, and fractures, up to a hip fracture, which can lead to reduced mobility and a “bedridden patient” state. Additionally, any injuries can lead to the decompensation of Parkinson’s disease itself and reduce the effectiveness of antiparkinsonian therapy.
Environment around
It is necessary to arrange the home to prevent falls in Parkinson’s disease, about which we have a separate article.
It is very important for reducing the risk of falls to engage in fall prevention through kinesitherapy and therapeutic exercise
How to improve your balance and stability with Parkinson’s disease?
Exercises for improving balance and coordination are very useful and effective. Kinesiotherapists or physical therapy specialists help select the right exercises suitable for each specific patient. We have an online school for training different patients with various stages of Parkinson’s disease. How can you improve your stability to avoid falling?
- make sure the shoes are in good condition – laces tied, soles undamaged
- Footwear should be comfortable – fit well to the foot, not be loose, and must have a back part (heel)
- wearing flip-flops (without backs) and high heels is not recommended;
- when walking, avoid multitasking – when walking, ONLY walk (do not talk on the phone, do not watch TV, do not listen to music with headphones). Remember that in Parkinson’s disease, postural reflexes (these are automatic trunk reactions for naturally maintaining balance and a certain posture in space) are reduced. Therefore, there is a risk of losing balance when attempting to perform multiple tasks simultaneously
- always keep one hand free – this will allow you to quickly find support on surrounding furniture or walls
- do not carry items in both hands
- when standing still – keep your feet shoulder-width apart. If you keep your feet closer together, the risk of falling increases
- in winter – beware of ice
- the phone should always be nearby and within easy reach from the floor (if a fall does occur, it should be easy to reach)
- a bracelet with an alarm or the ability to call for help might be useful if you need to call for assistance
- sometimes a whistle on a cord around the neck can help for the same purpose
What to do if you have fallen due to Parkinson’s disease?
If a fall occurs and there’s no one to help you get up, you can remember a specific algorithm of sequential actions to return to an upright position:
- lie on your back
- turn onto your side
- sit with the help of your hands
- slowly crawl to the nearest object (chair, sofa, armchair) that can support a person’s weight
- place your hands on this object and spread them wide apart
- raise your strong leg so that the knee is close to the chest
- push off with your hands and feet to stand up
Stay healthy!
Do you know that tremor and stiffness can be reduced or even eliminated without increasing the dose of levodopa?