Falling Is Tough, No Matter Your Age
When I was asked to do a tips article, I freaked out. I'm not an expert on anything noteworthy other than how to make a great homemade latte (and even then expert is a strong word in that scene). But, then I realized I have fallen several times. Each time I fall, I find myself preventing falls or falling in ways that might prevent cuts, scrapes, or any other injury. So, I figured why not share my tips and tricks because they might help others. The first four tips come from an article I previously wrote for my blog That CP Chick titled "Five things that I've learned from living with CP."
No matter how old you are, falling is tough. People fall for a lot of reasons. For example ( I may have experience with all of these), the sidewalk jumps out at you, you trip over a shoelace, you fall because of a cramp, you experience a sudden incline that everyone else sees and you don't. Unfortunately, having Cerebral Palsy does not help the falling situation no matter what it is. I hope you enjoy these tips and tricks.
Tip #1: When you fall, once you realize you're okay, say it
"People freak out when they see other people on the ground. In a weird way, this gives me faith in humanity. The action of people freaking out lets me know that I’m not gonna get stepped over or on" (That CP Chick, April 10, 2018). This realization is one that I think comes in handy when you fall around a lot of people. I often use this tip at home even when I haven't fallen and just dropped something it lets my parents and whoever else is home know that I'm okay. And if you're not okay when you fall, don't be afraid to let people know that either. In my opinion, t's better to tell someone that something is hurt and get it fixed ASAP than it is to be in pain.
Tip #2: If you are about to fall for a repeated time, cheat to the side you didn’t hurt the last time
This might seem silly or even impossible but I promise there is a method to my madness. Sometimes when I fall I cheat to one side. If I fall again and have enough time, I will often cheat to the other side if I can to avoid injury.
Some people ask me if I think about something when I fall, which side to fall on is normally what I think about.
Tip #3: Embrace the heel-toe
"If you grew up in physical therapy for any reason, you should be familiar with three phrases: “keep pushing, keep pushing”! “Up up up”! AND “heel toe, insert your name here”. While all of these phrases are equally important, the third one carries the most weight. Listen to it, embrace it, and you have reduced your chances of walking loudly and tripping my friends" (That CP Chick, April 10, 2018).
Tip#4: STRETCH, STRETCH, AND STRETCH
Growing up, I wasn’t a fan of gong to therapy (sorry every therapist I’ve ever had). But, my favorite part about going to therapy was…. stretching. Why? Because I didn’t have to do anything. I just had to be still on the mat while my muscles were being stretched out. Sure it hurt, but it felt better afterwards. That leads me to my point: Stretching is important. Not just in your life as a kid, but in adult life too. To quote my parents and all my friends who have tried to get this point hammered into my head for so many years, “what you do now will help you in the future" (That CP Chick, April 10, 2018). Stretching can also help your muscles stay loose and help your mobility which decreases your chances of falling.
Tip #5: Always carry a small first aid kit
You never know when you might need one! Just keep a small one with bandages and some sort of cleaning wipe or medicine. I usualy keep one in my backpack, purse, and car.
