Image by kevindooley via Flickr

I had a workers compensation case not long ago in which an older lady (Ms. “S”) fell at her job as a waitress and suffered a tibial plateau fracture.  The fracture healed, but she required a very lengthy healing period primarily because she was fearful of falling again.  Ms. “S” continued to use a walker long after she was told to discontinue this.  She even took it upon herself to move to a cane before discontinuing the walker as directed.  Returning her to the work environment …

Image by yosh18 via Flickr

In my work as a fall assessment specialist, we have to take in all sorts of environmental factors when determining a client’s risk for falls.  Age, medications, floor coverings, steps, proximity of furniture, it all plays a part in our risk for falls.  A recent article by Bill Hendrick of WebMD Health News reminds us of another such environmental risk.  He notes that tens of thousands of people trip over their pets each year causing fractures or other nonfatal fall related injures.  Falls resulting in emergency …