Not all neck pain is a result of bad posture, poor sleeping positions, or auto accidents. Sometimes a trip and fall, especially in the home, can be the culprit. The fall itself can cause injury to the spine or back. This can result in a number of injuries that could create neck pain. These can include a fracture, a pulled or strained muscle, or a torn or ruptured disc. While falls in the home tend to be equated with the elderly, no one is immune to an accident.
How to avoid injuries leading to neck pain
How can you avoid an injury in the home that can lead to neck pain? Here are a few tips to avoiding trips and falls:
- Keep the floor clean: Toys and other objects lying around the house can cause tripping. Put away anything out of place and encourage your kids to pick up after themselves by offering a reward.
- Use caution on the stairs: Everyone has tried to be the hero by carrying things that are too heavy or too awkward up or down the stairs. Instead, take smaller loads that can allow you to hold the railing and see the steps.
- Keep your porch and walkway ice free: In colder climates in the winter it is extremely important to use a deicer on any cement outside your home. Ice hidden under snow can be a major hazard.
- Use a slide proof bath mat: A mat with a rubberized backing that will prevent it from sliding on the tile floor is ideal. When your feet are wet and you are stepping in or out of a tub, the risk of a fall is magnified.
- Have an emergency plan: Older adults will often have access to an emergency alert system. Healthy adults don’t normally think about what would happen if they had an accident in the home and couldn’t reach a phone or didn’t have help.
What other tips do you know that could prevent an accident in the home?