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Wang Wenyang fell off the bed at home and fractured his thigh. Doctors said that elderly people are most likely to fall in the morning due to loose bones and loss of balance. They should get up slowly, pay attention to light, and strengthen fall prevention measures.
Wang Wenyang, 75, chairman of Hongren Group, accidentally fell while getting up at home and fractured his thigh. He was taken to National Taiwan University Hospital for surgery. Luo Yongzhi, director of the department of orthopedics at Taiwan Adventist Hospital, said that it is clinically common for the elderly to fall when getting up in the morning or while going to the toilet in the middle of the night, especially the elderly, who often have osteoporosis. Once they fall, the four major parts including the wrist, shoulder, hip joint and spine are easy to suffer fractures.
According to Mirror Weekly, Wang Wenyang accidentally fell while getting up from his bedroom a few weeks ago and fractured his thigh. He was unable to get up himself and could only call his daughter Wang Sihan for help. After Wang Sihan found out, he immediately called an ambulance and sent his father to National Taiwan University Hospital for surgery. He was hospitalized for about a week and was discharged. He still has to use a wheelchair. In this regard, Chen Yanyuan, medical secretary of National Taiwan University Hospital, said that this involves patient privacy and the hospital is unable to comment.
Luo Yongzhi pointed out that falling for the elderly is a common problem in medical care for the elderly. The medical community often reminds them that “three out of every ten elderly people fall, and three times one fall causes an injury”, which means that the risk of falls and injuries in the elderly cannot be ignored. Especially with age, muscle strength, balance and body coordination gradually decline. Along with osteoporosis, even a minor fall from the bedside can lead to a serious fracture.
Which body parts are most likely to be injured in a fall? Luo Yongzhi pointed out that it mainly depends on the direction of the decline. If the body falls forward, most people will instinctively move forward to support themselves on the ground, which can easily lead to a wrist or shoulder fracture. If you fall backwards and your buttocks hit the ground directly, this could result in a hip fracture. If the impact force is large, you may even suffer a spinal compression fracture.
Luo Yongzhi said that the wrist, shoulder, hip joint and spine are the four most common parts of osteoporotic fracture, among which hip joint and spine fractures are particularly noteworthy. Women generally face the problem of osteoporosis sooner than men due to rapid loss of bones after menopause. Some women may suffer from osteoporotic fractures in their sixties or seventies, while men may suffer from osteoporotic fractures relatively later. However, both men and women over the age of 75 should be extremely cautious about the risk of bone loss.
Why is it so easy to fall asleep when you wake up early in the morning? Luo Yongzhi pointed out that some elderly people have chronic diseases such as blood pressure and diabetes. They may experience dizziness and changes in blood pressure when they wake up. Furthermore, their body coordination is not restored when they first wake up. If they get up from bed in a hurry, they will easily lose their balance.
Luo Yongzhi suggested that you should not get up too early or get up immediately. You first stretch and shake your limbs on the bed to slowly wake up your body, then slowly sit up and make sure you don’t feel dizzy before standing up. When you get up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night, be sure to turn on the lights and keep moving lines bright to avoid falling due to poor vision or stepping on debris.
Luo Yongzhi emphasized that there are three key points to prevent falls in the elderly, including maintaining bone density and muscle strength, properly controlling chronic diseases, and slowing down daily activities. In particular, cataracts, poor blood pressure and blood sugar control can increase the risk of falls and should be actively treated with medical care.
In addition, middle-aged and middle-aged people should accumulate bone mass and maintain muscle strength early. Squats, thigh muscles and core muscle training are all helpful. Even at the age of seventy or eighty, you should not stop exercising completely. You can select appropriate activities according to your physical condition to maintain muscle strength and balance and avoid increasing the risk of falls due to muscle atrophy.
Summary FAQ
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While getting up at home, he fell and fractured his thigh. He was immediately sent to National Taiwan University Hospital for surgical treatment. After being hospitalized for about a week, he was discharged. He will still have to use a wheelchair to recover.
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Luo Yongzhi said that common fracture sites in the elderly include the wrist, shoulder, hip joint and spine. Especially if osteoporosis is evident, even a minor fall can lead to serious injury.
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Doctors recommend not standing up hastily when getting up, but instead moving your limbs in bed first and making sure you do not feel dizzy before getting out of bed. When going to the toilet in the middle of the night, keep the light on to maintain illumination, and maintain bone density, muscle strength and control chronic disease.
