Personal Injury Law

CDC - Canes And Walkers Cause 47,000 Fall Injuries

By Jane Akre

Walkers, Canes, and Pets

Ironically, canes are walkers are used to prevent falls.  This CDC report finds they cause some of them.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 47,000 elderly are injured every year from cane or walker-related falls.  The report says that averages to 129 falls per day or three percent of the falls among people age 65 and older.

The data came from emergency rooms across the country and reveals that walkers led to the majority of falls, about nine out of 10.  Women incurred more injuries than men at 78 percent of the walker-related injuries and 66 percent of cane-related injuries.

About 60 percent of the falls occurred at home. 

Most frequently, the fall results in a fracture of the pelvis or hip. The statistics were collected from 2001 to 2006.

Pets

And pets were also found to be a danger lurking at home causing thousands of fall-related injuries for everyone. Almost 12 percent were injured chasing a cat. The majority of injuries - nearly 88 percent - involved tripping over a dog. Once again, women were more likely to be injured than men.

Nursing home admissions often occur after a fall.

The study suggests that patients be taught how to walk with aids and more time be taken to better fit patients with walkers.

The study will be published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.  #

Full post as published by InjuryBoard on July 01, 2009 (boomark / email).