My mom has fallen several times and broken her hip and 2 femurs she came to live with us in may of this year from her stay in rehab for 3 1/2 months she said that she is now feeling like she will fall backwards can you give me an idea of what might cause this?
Essentially anyone up in age can have balance issues many times for unknown reasons.
She had physical therapy on an ongoing basis and it did help her balance, as did using a cane.
She was always very limber. One therapist said he wished he could get in and out of the bathtub as easily as she could. She would sit in her chair with one leg tucked up under her. Could sit on the floor and rise easily. Knelt by her bed to pray every night even into her early 90s.
She was developing dementia of a mixed variety per her neurologist. She wasn’t one to fall often. Three or four times in the last 20 yrs I would say.
She slowly began to walk less, went from that well worn cane which helped stabilize her and then to a walker for a short time before becoming incontinent and bed bound over the last four years of her life. She passed at 98.
Once a podiatrist said her pulse was weak in her ankles. Her other doctors didn’t find that. When I later read about PAD she never complained of pain. Now I wonder if the dementia had taken her ability to say that the pain stopped when she was sitting??
She wasn’t a complainer by nature. Not everyone has the same symptoms with PAD or dementia. She didn’t complain of vertigo. occasionally she would stand up and say she was dizzy and would wait a minute and get up a little slower and it would be gone.
Aunt never had a broken bone.
One time when being evaluated for therapy, the therapist observed she was a bit sway backed and was top heavy and her shoes were not safe (flat converse sneakers she loved). She was only about 5’. All those things were true but they were true before she developed the falling backwards sensation and didn’t stop for her after changing foot wear.
Thanks for asking your question. Just letting you know others have experienced this and somethings we never learn the reasons why. Each person is unique and doctor’s abilities are not limitless.
Wishing you and mom well. And do let us know if you find an answer for your mom.
Mom had no idea where she was in space, lacking feeling in her feet, having bad eyesight and very bad hearing. The neurologist told her to slam her feet down when walking. That would send a signal to the BRAIN about where she was in space. She still fell to the tune of 95x in 7 yrs. Fortunately, she had lots of padding on her 190 lb body and didn't get badly hurt in any of those falls.
She went into a wheelchair fulltime 3 yrs before she passed. I thought, FINALLY, mom would stop falling, thank you God. Instead, she'd fall out of the wheelchair all the time, slide out of bed, off the toilet etc. Once, I got 3 calls in one day from the Memory Care staff about her falling!
Mom lived to 95, in spite of it all.
Moral of the story: no matter what you do, you cannot prevent an elder from falling.
In your own unique case here it is time to speak with the doctor. If there is no dementia, and she is able enough to cooperate with physical therapy, she may benefit from some exercises, but all this will start with a private and personal assessment of diagnosis and prognosis in the doctor's office.
Good luck.