39 replies to this topic

[girlracer]

I was reading City Girl's topic I've Fallen and thought maybe we could give each other some tips on how to fall 'better'... whether it be from the wheelchair or with crutches !

What do you people do if you feel that your wheelchair is flipping backwards and there's no way of stopping it?
Or one of your crutches slips and the ground is your next stop?

Any falling scenario you can think of and how you would confront it...

[carole338]

Thank you for your inspiring post. I do believe that we can be role models for those that are having difficulty in their lives. If we can overcome our obstacles with our limited physical abilities, then why can’t able bodied people do the same?


I have fallen three times. Only one with grace and that was because I had something to hold on to and put my self down slowly. I didn’t get hurt that time. The other two times I didn’t have time to react and fell from my chair while transferring. I hurt myself pretty bad those times.

Good luck and be well.

[Travelling Blackbird]

I've never learned to fall with grace. I tense up and get panicky, and get an adrenaline rush. If I'm falling backwards in the chair, I tend to throw myself forwards and overbalance. If I fall while transferring myself, I tend to land hard.

Most of my tension stems from the head injury and the resulting lack of co-ordination, and the panic from a couple of bad falls over the years.

[qbounce]

Hold your pinky finger up!!

[E-DOG]

Having fallen from the sky with grace on more than one occassion. I prefer to land on a hard flat surface.
Usually my head. With my pinky finger up. My ass covered up. And my watch wound tight.
E

[nomis]

I dream of falling with Grace but she won't even talk to me.

However, I, too, would like to be seen as a roll model in the matter of spontaneous, unseemly departure from wheelchair. Go with it cos there's nothing you can do. Relax, enjoy the ride (it seems to last almost forever) and ponder over any dangers and protective procedures that you can put in place in the time allotted.

In the standard backward flip, without pike, I'm always surprised by my knees arriving in my face about half an hour later but usually I have enough presence of mind to wrap my arms around them to prevent them splaying uncontrollably about.

Safety before style, is my recommendation.

However, I want to make it quite clear I have very little experience in this activity. Very very little experience. Why, it's almost unknown to me. So don't go spreading any stories about me.

[qbounce]

But in some serious fashion, I've fallen a few times but tend to go forward out of the chair. I've always been reaching for something when my chair decides to roll ahead apiece while I'm hunching over my lap. The wheels stop at a dip and out I go. The last time this happened was on my sloped driveway while getting the newspaper.

I live alone, and when I rolled out into the gutter of my house 6AM that Sunday morning, sitting in wet, dirty water the only thing I could think at that very instant was wondering, "when was the last time my feet were as dirty as this??"
Then, it's to early for ANYONE to be up, so NOW what am I gonna do? I was totally screwed!

Before I could ponder my next move a lady jogger in pretty good shape, asks, "You okay? Do you need help?" Man, she came out of NOWHERE, really!! One minute no one's around, and the next this tall blonde drink of water drops out of the sky to help me back in the chair. She was gone as quickly and quietly as she came, so I can't even remember thanking her, and I haven't seen her since.

I know, I know . . . I should subscribe to the online edition and forget about risky driveway maneuvers, right? But coffee just isn't the same without ink stained fingers and page turns to balance out the aroma from my cup a' Joe.

Oh, looking good while falling . . . I was wearing orange boxer shorts (underwear), and a t-shirt, with a bedhead hair style. But, again no one saw me fall . . . so who cares, right?

[E-DOG]

Cube,
God saw you fall and he cares. Fix yerself up before you go ANYWHERE. Orange boxers? Nice. And the blonde, the one you don't remember?
Perhaps a figment of an abused imagination.
Consider the implications.
E

[cate]

I think that was your fairy angel, so dream on buddy was your day
Cate

[girlracer]

Ok... so no one has actually 'learnt how to fall' from their wheelchair
...we just get to learn from our mistakes

I'll have to update this topic when I get taught. There must be someone who knows...

Anyone care to explain the 'pinky finger up' thing?

[Murray]

"Falling with grace" ... I've fallen from grace, or so I'm told, being a dirty ol' man and all. Hey, Bounce - was that tall drink of _____ a fig newton of your early morning imagination? I know my brains on holiday til I have that cup-o-Joe.

As for the pinky bit ... I'm gonna leave that one alone.

And as for actual falling - I think nomis has got it right. It's a done deal, so enjoy it while you can ... or something.

[Webwych]

I have found that the times I have hurt after falling where when I tried to resist and tensed my body up (which it's kind of hard not to do saying as sudden or loud noises are enough to make me spasm). If you try and remain relaxed while you're in the chair and 'go with the movement' of the chair on whatever terrain you're on that seems to stop you slipping out a lot of times. Having a wheelchair with a seat that isn't deep enough for you increases your chances of coming out too (as do small front wheels).

As for being on crutches, try not put your hands out in front of you! Again, I found that the more relaxed I was as I moved, the less likely I was to 'kiss the pavement'.

I hope you DON'T fall out too much (if at all!).

[qbounce]

Believe me, blondes AREN'T my preference, but in a situation like that I couldn't be picky!

Also to add, maybe she wasn't so tall, but at the viewpoint I sat she sure looked it. There, I just dispelled everyones fantasy. Hope your all satisfied.

[E-DOG]

qbounce,
If you believe she was tall, then so do I. nod nod wink wink
And if you say she was very nice I believe you and I'm sure one day well will all get a chance to meet her.

Somebody get this guy outa the hot sun.

And on a serious note (I know, big mistake) Girlracer, ya cant fall out of a wheelchair without it looking like you did it with all the style and grace of a blind epileptic having a heart attack!
Just roll with it best you can and if yer a para, hope you don't quad yerself and if yer a quad, hope you don't kill yerself.
E-dog

[allis53ca]

......."para-chute"....

[StellaLAtella]

Hi Girlracer........
I just like to blame those voices in my head that tell me to do scandalous things for pushing me down. Since I don't do much with grace, I really can't offer any worthwhile advice. Just maybe act like you MEANT to do it........yes, more bad advice on my part.
Take Care,
Stella

[qbounce]

E-dog,
I never thought someone could be jeleous of someone elses dreams?

So, for now . . . I relinquish her to you.

Just lean back, close yer eyes, an baby baby, see her walkin' yer way??

[E-DOG]

qbounce, on Sep 10 2008, 11:13 AM, said:

E-dog,
I never thought someone could be jeleous of someone elses dreams?

So, for now . . . I relinquish her to you.

Just lean back, close yer eyes, an baby baby, see her walkin' yer way??

She's not walking, she's running.
And she isn't running MY way. She's running A way.
Sheesh, what a grouch. You can have her back.
Nice butt though.
E-dog

[Emily C]

E-DOG, on Sep 9 2008, 10:39 PM, said:

qbounce,
If you believe she was tall, then so do I. nod nod wink wink
And if you say she was very nice I believe you and I'm sure one day well will all get a chance to meet her.

Somebody get this guy outa the hot sun.

And on a serious note (I know, big mistake) Girlracer, ya cant fall out of a wheelchair without it looking like you did it with all the style and grace of a blind epileptic having a heart attack!
Just roll with it best you can and if yer a para, hope you don't quad yerself and if yer a quad, hope you don't kill yerself.
E-dog

Edog.....



...and THANKS 4 it!!!

[DellFan]

I actually did this the other day; in a freaking wheelchair store. I'm getting new wheels so I transferreed to a Ti Lite to try them and there were no anti-tippers on it and I fell onto ceramic floor. I've found the best thing to do if you feel yourself falling backwards is to put your hands out to the side palms down; that way your hands to take the brunt and to lean as far forward as physically possible so your head doesn't hit the floor, keep it upright pulled toward your legs/knees.

[rue2you]

When I fell backwards, I didn't even have time to think about anything. It was just BOOM - one little wrong move backing up and back I went conking my head on the sidewalk. However, I love the pinky up idea! That made me laugh right out loud - even if this is an old thread!!

When I fell backwards, I didn't even have time to think about anything. It was just BOOM - one little wrong move backing up and back I went conking my head on the sidewalk. However, I love the pinky up idea! That made me laugh right out loud - even if this is an old thread!!

[Ratticis]

Try to keep your head forward, mind you if you go down hard enough and do a backflip it doesn't really matter, yer still gunna have a bitch of a headach for 3 days

[Soryfam]

It does seem like it happens in slow motion. I try to relax, but again your natural reaction is to tense up. I've fallen afew times and I don't think there is a way to look graceful. Yesterday my husband was pushing me in the chair and didn't slow down where there was a brick crosswalk that stuck up a good inch higher than the pavement. I came pretty close to flying out of the chair. As it happened I thought of those of you here who are always in a chair, and the stories you've told about falling. I held on as tight as I could. All I could think of was skidding across the pavement with my face.

Sandy

[Tetracyclone]

Since most off us cannot practice this on the mats due to brittle bones, you can practice in your imagination and have it work. Think with your body through how to relax while you fall, or how to put your palms out quickly if you are going over backwards.

You feel with each muscle what to do or not do, in sequence.

This works for world-class athletes, why not for you?

Pat

[Trinity]

Tetracyclone, on Apr 26 2010, 02:23 PM, said:

Think with your body through how to relax while you fall, or how to put your palms out quickly if you are going over backwards.

I was taught this was a big no no as it can lead to broken wrists which are a bit of a bugger!

I like the idea of practicing with your mind, I just wish falling would happen slower to give me a chance to put the theory into practice!

[Tetracyclone]

Trinity, on Apr 26 2010, 09:37 AM, said:

Tetracyclone, on Apr 26 2010, 02:23 PM, said:

Think with your body through how to relax while you fall, or how to put your palms out quickly if you are going over backwards.

I was taught this was a big no no as it can lead to broken wrists which are a bit of a bugger!

I like the idea of practicing with your mind, I just wish falling would happen slower to give me a chance to put the theory into practice!

Trin-
Just as with real practice it is the number of repetitions (many many) that will let this come to mind when you need it.

[Wheelsonfire]

I can't understand why everyone is falling out of their chair and why they worry so much about technique.

If the chair goes back, relax you don't have far to fall, just keep the head forward, the rest is easy, then climb back into the chair.

I will give you a short story about one bloke in rehab.

In the evening we use to venture to the local pub,(Bakers corner for the Irish on here) we would get legless and then back to the rehab for another booze up as we always had beer in our lockers(Is this just an Irish thing?)

Anyhows, One of the lads comes back from a night out and explains;
He left the pub, twisted drunk, carried out a swan dive to the floor(from what he told me I would have gave him a 9.5 on the score card)
His chair went straight across the road and into some bushes.
Two lads left the pub, seen him on the ground and decided to help.

One grabbed him under the right arm, the other under the left, picked him up.
The gimp advised he was paralyzed.
The lads been quiet tanked themselves said " Jeasus we know how you feel we have often been paralytic drunk ourselves"
At this point they let him go, of course, he went smack spread eagle to the ground.
They picked him up again, dragged him over to the wall and tried to lean him up against it.
Down he goes again.
At this stage the two lads decided to listen to the gimp as he asked for his wheelchair to be taken out of the bushes.

Just be glad people that you don't fall anywhere near an Irish pub

[guido]

Saw these - www.flexyfoot.com - at Naidex and wondered if they might help crutch users fall from grace less...?

[greybeard]

Never mind falling gracefully from a wheelchair! I need recommendations on how to fall gracefully from my own two feet. I've done it four times today, which is a couple more than average. You'd think with all this practice I'd be pretty good at it by now. Not so I'm afraid. Twice I missed going head-first into the pond by a whisker. It's bound to happen sooner or later. Home-made tsunami

Edited by greybeard, 26 April 2010 - 06:34 PM.

[guido]

greybeard, on Apr 26 2010, 07:33 PM, said:

Never mind falling gracefully from a wheelchair! I need recommendations on how to fall gracefully from my own two feet. I've done it four times today, which is a couple more than average. You'd think with all this practice I'd be pretty good at it by now. Not so I'm afraid. Twice I missed going head-first into the pond by a whisker. It's bound to happen sooner or later. Home-made tsunami

GB - pleeeeeeease give Mrs GB the camcorder...