After almost 2 years of running, I had my first fall yesterday. I landed on my front in quite spectacular fashion and gave myself a good bashing all over – lots of blood and bruising. I wouldn’t have minded so much if it had been because of uneven paving or some other hazard, but it happened for no reason whatsoever. One moment I was running along feeling quite smug about how well it was going, the next the pavement was rushing up at me.
It’s made me nervous about getting back on the running horse. I’m too old to be gung ho about falling, and now I know that it can happen out of the blue, I’ll be forever worrying about it happening again. I’d be interested to hear of any similar experiences, and how you dealt with it psychologically.
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MrsBump
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Sorry to hear about your fall MrsBump . I ended up in A&E after a faceplant, and for me it was essential to go back and run where I'd fallen, just as soon as I was fit to do so.
My personal experience is that I've only ever fallen on easy tracks, never on more challenging, technical trails. Consequently I now try to concentrate actively whenever and wherever I'm running.
We all fall down at some point whether it be running or whatever. I’ve had a nasty face plant that caused me many visits to the dentist and scarring from a split lip. I also ended up in casualty with hand injuries.
I didn’t consider stopping running though and have fallen over several times since. I am dead clumsy though 🫣☺️
I love running - particularly on the trail - and I can’t ever envisage stopping anytime soon. I hope you’ll soon be lacing up your shoes once again and getting back out there. It’s FUN 😀👍
How awful for you, I wish you a speedy recovery. A few years ago, before I got the running bug, I had a series of spectacular falls. Like you, over nothing in particular, one moment perfectly upright and the next, unaccountably splat, sometimes on my face. I was horrified that age was catching up with me. I did some research and it seems it's quite common to lose your balance as you age BUT, there's no need to accept it. I discovered that the easiest way to recover your balance is to stand on one leg! Seriously, it does work. Since then every morning and evening I stand on one leg for the 2 minutes it takes to brush my teeth. Left leg am, right leg pm. At first it can be challenging to do the 2 minutes, but with practice it improves. Since then all spectacular, stupid falls are a thing of the past. Worth a try? I think Michael Moseley in his Just One Thing BBC podcasts has an episode on this in the back catalogue somewhere. I hope it doesn't stop you running.
This happened to me last year. I posted about it when I was up and about and walking. again. It shook me up but once I started running again. It was much better that I thought it would be. I don’t think about it any more, but it did take some time.
it does shake us up but mentally more than physically. As kids we fell over all the time, but were too young to try and rationalise it, so just cracked on.
Young runners fall down too. It’s not just confined to us old uns 🙂
Ha ha... if MissUnderstanding is an old un... I must be ancient! But of course, someone on here a while back, did think I was a very old man with a long white beard...so, maybe I am! 🤣
So far, so good, haven't fallen over when running (a few close shaves) but I fell over walking along my usual running route about a year ago. I wasn't rushing, was wearing sensible shoes etc but the tarmac is a bit uneven in places and I must have just misjudged my step.
I have mild osteoporosis so definitely don't want to be falling over. I just reassured myself that my bones must be doing ok, stood up, checked nobody was watching and carried on walking as if nothing had happened.
I've fallen a couple of other times, most recently after dropping a roast chicken while taking it out of the oven and covering the floor with fat. If I feel I'm losing my balance I just go with it and try and drop to the floor to land on my best padded bit. Thankfully I haven't fallen on my face, I do the standing on one leg thing too so maybe it's working.
I’ve fallen flat on my face and hurt myself but I couldn’t t help it as I fell over another runner ahead of me who’d fallen over. She was much younger than me as it happens.
I think getting stronger as we get older is a good plan,and the small things we can do on a daily basis, are a good idea 🙂
Totally agree,,, hence the posts on the S and F forum... the isometric one backed up by Michael Mosely, Just one thing...thanks to alpacagirl ... I listened to that after her reply.
Incidentally, doing this weeks Changing Room Chat on the subject of T'ai Chi this week... you may be interested.. and its impact on us whatever our chosen exercise
Hi MrsBump …ouch?? I’m so sorry to hear about your fall & I hope you recover quickly…I’m not surprised you feel a little apprehensive about going out again, thats completely normal…I’ve had one fall in 7 years..I was running through the cemetery (thought I was ending up there early!!!) and it was icy…I didn’t see this sheet of black ice and down I went…not a graceful legs akimbo slow spin like Bambi…I was def like a sack of spuds 😂 …my head bounced off the floor and I swear I saw little cartoon bluebirds flying round my head…but I sat up, wondered what on earth had happened and got up…I tried my best to rimp (run/limp) home and I got the biggest eye roll from daddycav when I told him what had happened…I was extremely nervous for the rest of the winter when I went out but eventually I got over it…just like we all do most things…when you go out, just go for little runs u til your confidence returns x
I’ve had three I think, in the 8 years I’ve been running. One was on the pavements at the end of a run, when I think I was just tired and misplaced my foot. Luckily I did a very unplanned ‘stunt roll’ on to a grass verge. I was a bit shaken and grazed but otherwise okay. 🤞
Another one was very much my own fault - running on the trails where I do a lot of running when it had been snowing❄️ ( a few years ago now). I got my phone out to take a selfie but accidentally had it on video. And yes, I slipped and landed on my bottom! It was hilarious because I was filming myself at the time - I still view it sometimes…when I need a good laugh!🤣🤣
Your fall sounds nasty - I do hope you feel better soon and able to get back out there.🙂
I had a fall last June. Just running along a trail in nice weather, minding my on business when wallop, I was flat out on the gravelly ground. My right knee(covered in blood and embedded gravel), ribs, and shoulder took the blow. A few trips to the minor injuries unit followed. I had to miss a few weeks of running, but I had no hesitation in getting out there as soon as I could. It was my first running fall in 5/6 years, so I reckon it was just bad luck.
I thought that I must have hit a tree root, but when I went back to look at the spot there was nothing to see. I did avoid that route for a few weeks after my return to running, so clearly there was some sort of mental impact, but it is back on the agenda now.
You have had a nasty fall so it is not surprising that it has caused you to reflect. All I can say is that the caution does disappear. Ironically one factor that gave me confidence was the fact that I had a very positive bone density scan 6 years ago after slipping on black ice and fracturing a vertebra.. In fact it was that fall which got me into C25k; but that is another story. Hope you are running with a smile again soon.
I’m sorry to hear about your fall. I completely understand how it can make you feel nervous about running again. I have fallen 3 times in the last ~2 years and ended up visiting A&E twice. Getting back to running was hard after the first fall and I took it easy for a long time. Each time my recovery included restarting c25k at a “week” I felt would not be too challenging and I rebuilt my confidence using this structure. Using NRC coach Bennett guided runs also helped me keep my mind off fears of falling again. It took a while, but the fears do disappear.
I suspect that I will fall again at some point, but I just hope I’ll manage to get a good load of enjoyable runs in before then. I have bought some knee pads and am comfortable running in them. They give me a degree of confidence that next time, at least my knees won’t suffer so much.
I hope you feel better soon and can get back to running with confidence.
Ah not good, but it does tend to make you more aware. I have had a few and in my Seventies so recovery in my book is mainly mental after all the physical injuries have gone. I took slow runs on the smoothest paths I could find for a while to build up the confidence, it doesn't take long. So good luck and a speedy recovery.
I've fallen over a few times while out running. Once over nothing I could see and once on gravel at a parkrun among others. It properly knocked my confidence and I didn't run for a couple of weeks while everything settled down. I got back into it by doing a gentle parkrun with a running buddy who was looking out for me and pointed out all the trip hazards.I chipped my tooth and ended up with lots of bruises and grazes. It does knock your confidence but give yourself chance to recover before you get out there again.
Arghhhh MrsBump that must have been a shock. I hope you get back on the horse soon, and your injuries are superficial. 🤞
That analogy rings true as I used to ride horses a lot and getting back on as soon as possible after a fall was key to not losing confidence. Same with running.
*Touch wood* I’ve only fallen once out running, and that was just before one of my first ever 10k races so I was being super careful. Clearly not careful enough as I face planted, having stuck my foot in an unseen hole. Possibly a bit daft running on grass freshly mown for hay, covering dangerous holes I suppose! No harm done, just a bit sheepish as I got up with that ‘I meant to do that’ expression! 😅
Get back on the horse... As Cmoi replies. Easy said, but it will help.
Heal first, then take a walk... gently and slowly over the route you fell on.
I do empathise with the idea of falling... as we get older, we do not bounce. I do not ever think of it, but I do look where I am going as carefully as as I can, whilst also looking around and taking everything in!
But hidden cracks, landing slightly differently can cause a problem... we run and it is a sport where accidents may happen.
Head out when you are ready and do try not to overthink... the first run is waiting . X
Thank you so much for all your replies. I really appreciate how many people have taken the time to tell me about their experiences.
The message is loud and clear: it happens and we get over it. The benefits of running far outweigh the odd tumble.
Incidentally, I revisited the scene yesterday and discovered the pavement is in bad a state, so maybe it wasn't just me and my two left feet after all.
Thanks again everyone. I'll be getting the running shoes back on as soon as everything stops hurting!
I hit a patch of black ice last year, and I was carefully avoiding the obvious icy part. I went flying and landed pretty hard. Got up, checked I hadn't smashed my teeth then did a head to toe inventory. I kept going😬Now in icy conditions I stick to the main roads that have been gritted.
Nothing is fully safe I've had various near misses when I've been running (I like to call them adventures!) All you can do is take steps to reduce the risks.
I fell during lockdown, I tripped on a raised drain cover, and mashed my glasses into my face. There was a lot of blood as is normal with head wounds. I pressed on the would with my hat, and when the bleeding didn't stop I knew I was in trouble, so called my husband. People were stepping over me! I know it was lockdown, but there was a lot of blood!!
Two kindly plain clothes police officers stopped and cleaned me up a bit, and told me I needed to go to hospital. My husband took ages to get there! He wasn't allowed in to the hospital with me (obviously) They glued my cut, something I hadn't heard of before.
I had a socking black eye, and split lip, loads of bruises, and I pulled all the muscles in my chest and shoulder when I put my hand down to break my fall. This meant I couldn't breath properly when running, so it was quite some time before I was able to run. I did quite a bit of walking in the mean time, and found I missed running to much not to go back to it.
Incidentally, I've had bad falls when walking, and even in the house on the stairs. You just have to get on with it, or you'd never do anything!
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