For someone who is so afraid of falling, I certainly do it often enough.
It happened again last week. Broad daylight, dry pavement, crack in the cement — and then me, sprawled on the sidewalk. A police officer had to help me up. It was so-o-o-o embarrassing.
And painful. Knees, hand, elbow, shoulder. The usual list of body parts you hurt when you fall.
I am barely on the doorstep — for want of a better tripping analogy — of senior citizen land, but I am falling like an 85-year-old with too-thick glasses, too many scatter rugs in the house and too much medicine in my system.
If I don't watch it, I am going to break something instead of just spraining something, and the neighbors will have to start delivering meals.
My husband says we are in the fourth quarter of life, and falls are what we need to fear the most. My daughter says I fall because, "Well, um, you've never been very coordinated."
Neither explanation was particularly satisfactory — or flattering — so I went hunting for more information. It turns out that my fear of falling, instead of keeping me safe, may make it more likely that I will fall.
The fact that I cling to railings like Kate Winslet in "Titanic" doesn't contribute to the strength and balance — or the confidence — I need to stay upright.
And the stiffness and soreness in the joints in my legs — the result of too many years of pounding aerobics — hinder my gait and give walking an uncertain outcome.
The fact is, falls are such a serious and expensive health issue that balance has become a significant part of all kinds of exercise programs, and the staff in doctors' offices are training patients in fall prevention.
One out of three adults 65 years and older will fall each year, and about a third of those will suffer injuries severe enough to limit mobility, reduce independence and, ultimately, increase the chances of an early death. We aren't just talking cuts and bruises, we are talking broken hips and head injuries, the most serious results of a fall.
While I am afraid of falling, it clearly hasn't affected my lifestyle (hence the fact that I keep falling). But for others, the fear of falling can be so debilitating that they needlessly restrict their participation in life: exercise, shopping, going to church, seeing friends.
The result is a cascade of bad news: physical conditioning deteriorates, the quality of life is poorer and depression sets in.
Falls are scary, there is no doubt. There are those awful seconds after you have tripped, when you realize you can't pull yourself out of it, and you are going down.
But we don't always have to feel so helpless.
If you are afraid of falling, see your doctor and make sure your medication isn't making you unsteady and your inner ear is not impaired in any way that would affect your balance. Check your blood pressure — it may be dropping when you stand. Check your eyeglass prescription to make sure you have the maximum field of vision.
Check the house for those scatter rugs, loose cords or poor lighting. Install grab bars in the bathroom. If your feet, ankles or knees are so sore they affect the way you walk, seek relief for the pain.
But the best way to avoid falling — and this may seem counterintuitive — is to get up and move.
Regular physical activity is more powerful than any drug. Take water aerobics or seated yoga or a simple stretch-and-balance class. Any of these will do wonders for your confidence and your mood, as well as for your ability to stay upright.
And keep walking. I will be, too.