The Thumb Trick: How Your Thumb Can Prevent a Fall

Have you ever suddenly become so dizzy that you felt as if you were going to fall over? Have you ever had the sensation that you are spinning, or that the world is spinning around you, even though you know you are sitting still? 

If you have ever had any type of vertigo, or dizzy spells, you know how terrifying and destabilizing these kinds of attacks can be. As a physical therapist, I have treated many patients for dizziness. Unfortunately, there is a long list of reasons why these types of episodes can occur, including BPPV, vestibular neuritis, and residual effects from a stroke, just to name a few. The symptoms can range from mild to so severe that it causes you to vomit or fall over. Regardless of the root cause, “The Thumb Trick” can come in handy during such an event. 

“The Thumb Trick” is a simple yet highly effective strategy for people who suffer from vertigo to help ground them during a dizzy spell and keep them from falling. To execute the thumb trick, I teach my physical therapy patients to remember the 3 S’s. 

What are the 3 S’s, you ask? They are as follows: Stop, Sit, and Stare. (The Thumb Trick comes into play during that last S).  

The 1st S: STOP 

When you feel a vertigo attack coming on, that is, you start to feel dizzy or things start to spin, the first thing you need to do is simply stop what you’re doing. This means stop walking, stop talking if you’re in the middle of a conversation, stop whatever activity you were previously engaged with. Your focus needs to be on getting yourself safely through this vertigo episode, and this requires your full attention. 

The 2nd S: SIT 

If possible, sit down. Sit on a bench if you’re out somewhere, or even sit all the way down on the ground if there isn’t anything around to sit on (and you feel comfortable doing this). If you aren’t able to sit and aren’t able to sit on the floor, your next best bet is to find something stable to hold. If you’re walking in a park, this may be a nearby tree. If you’re in a grocery store you may need to grab onto the shelves on the aisle. The role of this step is to physically stabilize your body as best as you can. 

The 3rd S: STARE  

This is where The Thumb Trick comes in. You have stopped and sat down, or stopped and grabbed hold of something sturdy. Now you are going to hold out one fist in front of you with the thumb up. You want to fix your eyes on your thumb. Hold your arm and hand as still as you can, and really focus your gaze on just that thumb. Your arm can be completely straight out, or your elbow bent, depending on what distance is easiest for you to focus on. The purpose of this is to give your eyes and brain something fixed and unmoving to stare at, to help you feel more grounded. You can stay in this position until the wave of vertigo has passed, or until you feel safe and sturdy enough to resume your prior activity. Why your thumb? It’s something that will be nearby regardless of whether you’re home, out shopping, or at a friend’s house. You take it with you everywhere you go, and you don’t have to remember to bring it with you. 

The 3 S’s and The Thumb Trick won’t treat the cause of the vertigo symptoms, but they do provide a quick and easy strategy to help combat your symptoms so they don’t lead to a fall.

If you want to watch a short video I made teaching the 3 S’s and The Thumb Trick, click HERE to watch it on Instagram, or click HERE to watch it on Facebook. 

Do you know someone who suffers from vertigo, or occasionally gets dizzy spells? Send them this post, it may just save them from falling!

-Holly, PT DPT

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