Older adults who take a spill within months of having major surgery tend to do worse in the hospital -- and have higher rates of surgical complications.
A new study from the University of Colorado analyzed the outcomes of 200 elderly adults who had colorectal or heart surgery.
Those who'd fallen in the previous 6 months stayed in the hospital longer and were more likely to suffer blood clots, infections, and other complications of surgery.
60-percent who fell prior to surgery also had to go to a nursing home or other rehabilitation center.
Researchers say more than a third of surgeries in the u.s. are performed on people over age 65.