Patient/caregiver was educated on fall safety and precautions for gouty arthritis patients as follows:
- Do not rush during ambulation and take your time for your trips accessing different rooms in the house. Plan your restroom trips in advance. Do not wait until the last minute and rush to the restroom, which might risk a fall.
- Many analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications used in management of arthritis carry the side-effect of inducing dizziness and confusion in individuals. This can compromise safety and contribute to undue fall. Individuals taking these medications must be aware of this side-effect and seek needed timely assistance from caregivers for fall prevention.
- Individuals with poorly controlled osteoarthritis, especially during an episode of exacerbation of symptoms, must plan most of their life on one level in the house or have arrangements made for an elevator. This helps with avoiding the stress of climbing stairs and uneventful falls. Having an elevator installed can be of additional support for patients in dwellings situated on two or more floors.
- If an elevator is not possible and climbing stairs is unavoidable, make sure you are holding a cane for support in the hand opposite to the side of bad leg. Also, having sturdy railings on the stairs offers extra support to the individual going up and down the stairs. Always remember the rule – “Up with the good leg and down with the bad leg” while climbing up and down the stairs. If both legs are equally affected, you can have either leg as the leading leg, followed by the other. Marking the edges of the steps with bright contrasting colored paint or tape can help with safe placement of foot during climbing up and down the stairs. Having the staircase enough lighted can also contribute to fall prevention.
