Second Attempt, Less Sarcasm

The satirical wording of my first post on this topic was not appreciated, and I own that. My apologies. I wanted to give it a second try, because it is a conversation worth having, and an important factor regarding patient safety. Especially in their homes.

The photo above, taken from a youtube video, is a classic example of what I see taught to patients regarding SPC use while descending steps. We all know GAS (Good, Affected, Support) up, and SAG down (Reverse), but what seems to have gotten lost in the mix is that the support (cane, crutch, etc) and affected leg are ideally supposed to move together to the step. This is especially important when descending, because when leading with the AD like pictured, many patients will end up leaning themselves so far forward to place their device on the step below that their center of gravity winds up in front of their feet. That increases the risk that if a loss of balance occurs, they would end up going face first down the steps. That need to maintain postural control, standing upright for balance, is already profoundly important in fall prevention with many of our patients, and the potential risks are only higher on steps.

Again, my apologies for the more sarcastic original post. This is an important fall risk factor with many patients I see, and a simple fix while in the safety of the clinic with SBA or CGA. May not seem like a major issue, considering everything else we focus on, but when the patient is alone and managing stairs the first time at home, it can make a world of difference for their safety.