Black Ice

If you know me at all, you know I'm a glass-half-full kind of gal.  So when black ice caused me to slip and fall hard on my left wrist, still holding my coffee cup in the right, you might not surprised that my predominant thought was a positive one.

(And, no my thought was NOT "well at least I didn't spill my coffee".)

Ok, that's not entirely true. My very first thought was “Holy F--- I cannot BELIEVE this is happening to me again!” I lay there screaming and cursing in frustration and pain. I'd been there before and I knew what was happening. I know broken bones when I have them. There is no turning back. I felt like a complete idiot, to be honest.

But then, after a few moments of shock and dismay and my butt was getting cold, my next thought was: “Hey! Look at me! I have the ability to stand up without help and without the use of my hands!”.

If you fall down, you're going to need to stand up. If you haven't practiced getting from the ground up to standing, you might not have the leg strength, core strength or muscle memory to do it. You do not want to be that fragile little old lady calling 911 from the bathroom floor.

No doubt we should be practicing all manner of fall prevention strategies. But even with all the preparation in the world, accidents can still happen. That’s why I'm super proud of myself for doing all variations of the "sit-to-stand" exercise regularly for years. Have you tried it?

Start by coming down to the floor and noticing how you get yourself into a seated position. Next, it’s time to stand back up. If this is your first time in a while getting up from the floor, you may need to use a hand (or two) to get back to your feet. Over time, aim to use your hands less and less. One way to work on that is to notice when you’re relying on your hands to stand up from higher surfaces like a dining room chair. Rather than leaning forward into the armrests and pushing yourself up, aim to stand using only the strength of your legs.

Here’s a video you can follow that will take you through several variations of sit-to-stand options. Practice at your level and modify for your body's needs.

Let my pain be your gain. Become hyper-aware of dangerous icy conditions, of course. But I hope you will prioritize strength training so that getting up after a fall doesn’t feel impossible. Make your goal to be as healthy and strong as possible. Prepare yourself for life's unexpected mishaps from a place of strength and confidence, so you can stand up on your own!

Susannah