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Well... I suppose I wouldn't bet on it. There are certainly so many different factors involved that foot size may not end up being a key one. I guess you could look at the extreme case: how easy is it to fall forward or backward when standing still on downhill skis. :-) But, piggybacking on some of what RIck said, and remembering my college judo classes: yes, a lot of time is spent "learning" to fall or, perhaps more appropriately, how to hit the ground. In judo, as in the often-derided professional wrestling, the ultimate is to get your opponent off the ground and "slam" them down on their back. The next time you have an opportunity to tune in to a pro wrestling match (judo, unfortunately, not being a sport that gets much air time), watch what happens when a wrestler hits the ground (on his or her back). Notice how they slam their arms and feet on the mat at the same time their back hits. This isn't done to make noise and add to the drama, but to dissipate the energy of the fall: the more your legs and arms take by slamming them into the mat, the less your back, neck, head must endure. There's some serious technique there. Otherwise, these wrestlers would be breaking bones right and left. Unfortunately, we don't often have the luxury of falling in a way that we can use these energy-dissipating techniques. But there's one more lesson to learn from these sports. In high-school or college wrestling (I guess it's called Greco-Roman wrestling?), what's the first thing a wrestler does when the other tries to grab him/her? He/she crouches down, even going on to their knees. Why? Because this lowers their center of gravity significantly, making them much more stable and difficult to move. Likewise, if you are in a situation where you start to feel out of balance, if you crouch down, you can gain stability. In a sense (this is not scientifically rigorous, but the principle applies) a 5'6" person can gain 15-20% in "stability" by crouching down and lowering their CoG by 6" - a slight bend of the knees and waist. As Rick also pointed out, widening your stance also improves stability (larger "base"). Extending your arms will also add stability (changes your moment of inertia - a whole other chapter). Last, if you are in a situation where a fall is (more) likely, the lower your CoG is to the ground, the less energy your body will have to absorb on contact, and the better the chances for mitigating injury. Like skating - a situation where falls are not uncommon - if you slip and fall when standing straight up, you risk serious injury. If you are lower to the ice (watch a hockey player maneuvering), first, you're more stable, but, second, when you do hit the ice, there's little if any impact. I suppose some of this is easier said than done, but sometimes such discussions can actually lead somewhere. Cheers Roger -----Original Message----- From: A Phillips Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2012 6:53 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Falling....help please so people with big feet should fall less often - hmmm ? > Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2012 16:19:08 -0400 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Falling....help please > To: [log in to unmask] > > Actually, the center-of-gravity thing might be worth thinking about. A > basic of physics is this: given a "body" (any object) that is supported by > a > base (legs, a stand...) in contact with (but not attached to) the ground, > if > the center of gravity of the system (object + base) moves outside the > vertical projection of the base, the base will no longer be able to > support > the system and it will topple. This could no doubt be stated more > precisely... An example: If you're on a step ladder and you lean out such > that the center of gravity of you+ladder is outside the rectangle formed > by > the feet of the ladder, you+ladder will tip over. Applying this to the > human body: when you stand, your "base" is (roughly) the rectangle that > your > shoes will just fit into, front to back and side to side. If you lean in > a > given direction, your center of gravity shifts in that direction (provided > you're not doing anything to counterbalance). As soon as your CoG goes > over > the edge of that rectangle around your shoes, you will start to fall. > > Two things I might try: 1- Get a sense of where my CoG is. This can be > done > by standing and carefully rocking front to back and feeling the pressure > on > the heels and balls of the feet as I rock. Then, find the point where the > pressure is even between fronts and backs of the feet. This would be the > position where the CoG is best centered over the base (feet). Next, I'd > try to think about where I feel the pressure on my feet when I'm doing > routine stuff, and see if there are postures that tend to put more > pressure > on the balls of my feet or heels. These would be situations where a fall > might be more likely. 2- Consider the shoes. I like to wear more comfy > shoes, except when I go to the therapist. If I don't want to get lectured, > I put on the "right" shoes: the ones with the good support, strong heels > and > stiff soles. Think about it, though: the proper fit and stiffness of the > soles of a good pair of shoes provide a better base and, in theory at > least, > should make falling less likely. > > For what it's worth... > > Roger > > -----Original Message----- > From: A Phillips > Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2012 11:26 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Falling....help please > > Think my center of gravity may be outside my body..... > > Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2012 02:29:22 -0500 > > From: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: Re: Falling....help please > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > > Invaluable! Lots of strong research about tai chi and yoga, much centers > > around finding and knowing your center of gravity. Center will change > > with > > age and especially with pd. learning to fall is also a wonderful > > suggestion. Great! > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > > On Oct 17, 2012, at 4:44 PM, Rick McGirr <[log in to unmask]> > > wrote: > > > > > This is going to sound ridiculous to some of you... > > > > > > I have a background of past activity at a martial arts school, or > > > "dojo", > > > specifically Nihon Goshin Aikido. At the beginning of every class, we > > > would > > > actually practice falling. We had very specific procedures for > > > front-fall, > > > side-fall, back-fall. And we would do it a lot. It was essential to do > > > this, > > > because Aikido includes a lot of throwing moves, like Judo, so we > > > could > > > count on hitting the deck several dozen times per class. > > > > > > I am very fortunate to have had this training, albeit before my > > > diagnosis in > > > 2001. It was a very good way to develop awareness of my body and its > > > balance, vulnerability, strength, and it gave me a tough inner core, > > > tempered in lessons under a quite demanding sensei, or teacher. > > > > > > Now, I would never suggest that PWP all sign on with a martial arts > > > academy. > > > And I would also suggest maximum caution and collaboration with > > > physical > > > therapist, doctor, sensei, personal assistant, mom, dad, cousin Ralph > > > and > > > everybody else you can think of. And further, I only suggest this to > > > those > > > who are ready, physically and emotionally, to enter into this kind of > > > study. > > > And all the disclaimers apply doubly. I don't know what I am talking > > > about > > > in any case. I would not ever represent myself as an authority on > > > anything > > > except playing rock n roll on the piano. And even that can be > > > dangerous! > > > But... > > > > > > But yes, you are hearing me correctly. I am indeed suggesting that, > > > since > > > you do it so often, make a study of falling. I certainly would never > > > have > > > survived the aikido school without the knowledge I gained there. And > > > there > > > have been times when the habits gained at aikido school saved my ass > > > literally. (head, back, knees, elbows, etc.) > > > > > > With respect, > > > Rick > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network > > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Meg Duggan > > > Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 8:28 AM > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > Subject: Re: Falling....help please > > > > > > Do u tend to fall upon rising? Adding a bit of salt to your diet can > > > help > > > with sudden drops in blood pressure that can occur. If u are falling > > > because > > > of a dropped foot, there are appliances that help keep the foot in a > > > better > > > position. > > > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > > > > On Oct 15, 2012, at 1:13 PM, Nigel Harland <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > > > >> Hi all, > > >> Does anyone have any helpfull advice on preventing falling,? I > > > fall on average 3 times a day, sometimes more. > > >> It is only a matter of time before I will do myself some serious > > >> damage. I > > > use a walker but even this does not always stop me from from falling. > > >> Regards, > > >> Nigel Harland. > > >> > > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > >> In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn