Staying Healthy
Why women take the fall
Intriguing reasons explain why women fall more often than men, but there are simple ways to lower your risk.
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
In the friendly competition between the sexes, women face a hefty disadvantage in a distinctly dangerous arena: falling.
Falls are the leading cause of injuries and accidental deaths among American adults 65 and older, but women fall more often than men indoors. We're also 50% more likely than men to show up at an emergency room due to a fall, according to a large 2021 study in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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