The short version: Do not rush to stand. Check for injury first, and if anything hurts sharply, a limb will not move, or you hit your head, stay down and call for help. If you are unhurt, get up in stages: roll to your side, onto hands and knees, crawl to a sturdy chair, and push up. If you cannot get up, call for help and stay warm, because a long time on the floor is dangerous. And tell your doctor about any fall.

First, do not rush to stand

The instinct after a fall is to pop right back up, as if nothing happened. That is the instinct to resist. Getting up too fast, before you know whether you are hurt, is how a minor fall becomes a serious injury.

So the first step is to do nothing for a moment. Stay still, breathe, and let the startle pass. Only then start to check yourself and move, slowly.

This guide covers three situations: how to check for injury, how to get up safely if you are not hurt, and what to do if you cannot get up. Everyone over 65 should read it before they need it, because a fall is not the moment to learn the steps.1

Check yourself for injury

Before you try to move, take stock. Look and feel for pain, and gently try moving your arms and legs a little.3

If you are hurt, stay down. If something hurts sharply, a limb will not move, or you hit your head, do not try to stand. Standing on a broken bone or with a head injury can make things much worse. Stay on the floor, get into as comfortable a position as you can, and call for help. Getting up is only for when you are reasonably sure you are not injured.

How to get up safely, in stages

If you have checked yourself and feel unhurt, get up gradually, using furniture for support. Never try to stand straight up from lying down.3

  1. Roll onto your side, resting a moment as you do.
  2. Push up onto your hands and knees.
  3. Crawl to a sturdy chair, couch, or bed, something solid that will not slide.
  4. Place both hands on the seat.
  5. Bring your stronger leg forward so that foot is flat on the floor, leaving you in a kneeling lunge with your hands still on the furniture.
  6. Push up slowly with your legs and arms, then turn and sit down on the chair.
  7. Rest for several minutes before you stand or walk, since getting up can leave you dizzy.

The best time to learn this is before you need it. A physical therapist can teach the technique and have you practice it while you are able, so the movements come back under stress.

If you cannot get up

Not everyone can get back up, and that is not a failure. What matters is not exhausting yourself and getting help fast.3

  • Do not keep struggling. Get into as comfortable a position as you can, ideally seated against a wall or sturdy furniture.
  • Call for help immediately, with a medical alert button or a phone if you can reach one.
  • If you cannot call out, make noise. Bang on the floor, a wall, or furniture with your hand or a nearby object to attract attention.
  • Stay warm. Get off a cold floor if you can, pull a blanket, towel, or coat over you, and cover your head if possible.
  • Protect your skin by shifting position from time to time while you wait.

Why speed matters: a long time on the floor, more than an hour, is dangerous in itself. Doctors warn that a prolonged “long lie” can cause low body temperature, dehydration, pressure sores, pneumonia, and muscle breakdown that can harm the kidneys. This is exactly why a worn medical alert system is so valuable for anyone who lives alone or falls often; it summons help without needing to reach a phone.

After a fall, even a “harmless” one

Once you are up and rested, the fall is not over. Tell your doctor about it, even if you feel fine.2

A fall is a warning sign, and the strongest predictor of a future fall is having had one. Your doctor can look for the cause, blood pressure, medications, vision, balance, or a home hazard, and fix it before the next fall.

Seek care right away, or go to the emergency room, if you: hit your head, take blood thinners, were on the floor a long time, have pain or a possible fracture, or simply feel unwell. Some problems from a fall or a long lie are not obvious at first, so err on the side of getting checked.

Prepare before it happens

The single best thing you can do is prepare, because preparation is what shortens the time on the floor.

  • Wear a medical alert pendant or watch, especially if you live alone, so you can call for help without reaching a phone. Some add automatic fall detection; see our medical alert and fall detection guides.
  • Keep a charged phone on you or low and reachable, not up on a counter you cannot reach from the floor.
  • Practice the get-up technique with a physical therapist while you are able.
  • Fall-proof the home to lower the odds in the first place: clear clutter, add grab bars, and improve lighting. Start with our home assessment checklist.

Key takeaways

  • Do not rush up. Pause, then check for injury; if hurt or you hit your head, stay down and call for help.
  • Get up in stages using a sturdy chair: side, hands and knees, crawl, push up, sit, rest.
  • If you cannot get up, call for help, make noise, and stay warm, because a long lie is genuinely dangerous.
  • Report every fall to your doctor, and prepare ahead with a medical alert and a practiced technique.

What’s next

Reviewed by John Smith, CAPS, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. This guide is general safety information, not medical advice. If you are hurt or were on the floor a long time, seek medical care, and call 911 for a serious injury.

  1. Facts About Falls. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, retrieved September 23, 2026. .
  1. Falls and Fractures in Older Adults: Causes and Prevention. National Institute on Aging, U.S. National Institutes of Health, retrieved September 23, 2026. .
  1. The Safest Way for Older Adults to Get Up From a Fall. AARP, retrieved September 23, 2026. .
  1. Fall-Proofing Your Home. National Institute on Aging, U.S. National Institutes of Health, retrieved September 23, 2026. .