Fall prevention isn’t an exact science, and people can lose their footing at any age. But a few tips from the experts — coupled with flooring that reduces the risk of injuries — can ensure that a fall doesn’t turn into a major medical event. 

Speaking with AARP, professional stuntwoman Alexa Marcigliano offered four tips for reducing pain and injury if and when a fall occurs. 

1. Don’t go rigid. Keep your arms and legs bent when you start to fall to provide a softer landing; locking your joints and staying rigid increases the risk of injury. 
2. Tuck your head. Don’t leave our head exposed on the way down. Turn it to the side when falling forward and toward your chin when falling backwards to lower the chance of a direct hit. 
3. Avoid the bone. Try to land on a body part with more natural cushion — rear end, thighs, or back muscles — instead of bone. 
4. Go with the fall. It may be counterintuitive, but lean into a fall to spread the impact over more area — instead of trying to break it with a single body part.
   

Finally, invest in specialty flooring options designed to dull the impact of falls. Armed with the right strategy and the right flooring, occasional falls can just be minor missteps, and not medical emergencies.