Don't forget to take the socks off!

Falls are a common cause of morbidity in older people. Surveys have indicated that up to 25% of 65-69 year olds fall at least once a year, and this figure increases significantly with advancing years. Dr Helen Thomas and Dr Mark Denver, doctors at the Meadowside Medical Practice, Lancaster, describe the case of a 77-year-old man with pancreatic carcinoma who presented at the surgery with multiple falls.