It is of the utmost importance to take a proportionate, but considered approach to the management of your safety if you have epilepsy.

 

There is a broad range of situations and activities that present a degree of risk, even to people who do not have epilepsy. However, it is also true that if someone experiences seizures in relation to this condition, they may be placed at greater risk of accidents and injuries as a result.

 

One such risk that could be posed to some people with epilepsy, is that of falling. It isn’t always easy for someone with epilepsy to know when they may be about to fall. If this describes your situation, you might therefore consider taking certain steps to help minimise the risks.

 

A few ways to help prevent falls and injuries

 

Everyone falls from time to time. So, the below tips could be well worth considering even if your seizures are controlled and your risk of falling is not particularly higher than the typical person who does not have epilepsy:

 

  • Wearing stable shoes with good tread, avoiding open-toed shoes or high heels that could get easily caught on obstacles
  • Doing a home safety check, which would enable you to identify potential tripping hazards and move them out of harm’s way
  • Doing similar checks for other spaces that you typically spend time in during your day-to-day life, such as your workplace and the homes of friends and relatives
  • Taking particular precautions when using items that can present a risk of falling even to people who do not have epilepsy, such as ladders and heavy equipment
  • Taking extra time to be mindful of your surroundings wherever you are, including being aware of where you place your feet
  • Improving your all-round fitness through strength and balance exercises, which will help lower your risk of falling, as well as of injuries if you do fall
  • Making yourself aware of any side effects of medications you are taking, such as drowsiness, dizziness, or problems with balance.

 

How can you lessen the impact of a fall if it does happen?

 

Even when all sensible measures are followed, falls can still occur for people with epilepsy. You might, however, think about taking the below steps to help minimise the dangers of falls:

 

  • Practising falling in safe conditions – for example, on a soft carpet, slowly, and with someone there to support you – so that can learn safe reactions to falling and develop “muscle memory” for when you next fall unexpectedly
  • Tucking your chin and covering your head with your arms to help protect it; turn your head to the side if you are falling face first
  • Keeping your body loose and moving with the fall, instead of tensing up, which could worsen the impact of the fall or make it hurt more
  • If possible, rolling out of the fall in the direction you’re falling, so that the energy is sent from the fall into the roll
  • Using a fall detection tool such as the GPS Smart Tracker or Vibby Oak Fall Detector, so that a fall can be detected and an alarm raised to ensure help is quickly on the way.

 

If you have questions about any of the products that we make available here at Epilepsy Solutions, and ways in which they could help in the event of you falling, please feel free to contact our team today.