What is a long lie?

What do we mean by a 'long lie'? 

When a person is unable to get up off the floor for a prolonged period of time after a fall, this is referred to as a ‘long lie’. 

This description of what a long lie is has been agreed upon by members of our PPI group during a ranking exercise. 

Why is this research important? 

Around 1 in 3 adults over 65 have at least one fall a year and it estimated that around 1 in 5 of these will be a long lie (often referred to as longer than 1 hour). People who have a long lie may suffer a number of complications, including dehydration, pressure injuries, muscle and tissue damage and psychological harm. However there is currently very little evidence about what harm a long lie causes, or what definition we should use to define a long lie (i.e. 1 hour, 2 hours etc.)

Longer ambulance response times due to growing pressure on ambulance services means that people are being left on the floor for increasing periods of time. The problem of long lies may therefore be leading to worse health outcomes for an increasing number of people. 

What does existing research and policy say about long lies? 

Whilst there has been a lot of research to understand how to prevent people falling, there is currently little information about how to manage people once they have fallen. 

Existing advice given to patients who have fallen assumes that an ambulance will arrive quickly. It is also based around concerns that the patient may have a hip fracture and need surgery. However, most people who fall do not have a fractured hip, and current advice that people should not be moved or should restrict fluids may be more dangerous for people who have a long lie.