Whether road crashes, falls, violence, burns and scalds, bite or sting injuries, or overuse and repetitive motion, no matter what accidents you go through, injuries are inevitable. It can happen at any time, especially when you encounter an accident. You are likely to experience injuries. It can occur due to the heavy impact of blunt objects penetrating your body. Injuries can cause minor results, such as cuts and bruises, or severe cases, such as a shoulder slap tear and dislocation. According to a report made by the Home Safety Council, the number one and most common injury happens at home. Besides sports, slip-and-fall accidents are the top reason people seek treatment and surgery.
The most common injuries happen at home, outdoors or while playing sports. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, household accidents, specifically slip and falls, are always one of the leading causes of injuries.
In 2020, the National Vital Statistic System recorded over 42,114 fatalities due to accidental falls. No matter how much you take care of, be cautious, and strive to make your home as safe as possible, accidents can still happen. It can occur to all ages. Although some household injuries only result in minor cases, some may still result in severe conditions and require replacement knee or other body part surgery if left untreated.
To learn more about injuries and how to deal with them, below are the four common accidents that may happen within your home.
THE 4 MOST COMMON CAUSES OF INJURIES IN A HOUSEHOLD
Different body parts have different types of injuries. For instance, if you accidentally fell and caused a heavy impact on your waist to your upper body, it may cause hip injuries and require a hip labral tear treatment in Singapore. Each part requires various care services and treatment options. In general, household injuries are more likely to be minor cases compared to sports injuries, wherein it affects the overall body. Below are the most common causes of home injuries.
1. TRIPS AND SLIP-AND-FALLS
Among the eleven injuries, slip-and-falls and trips top the most common household accidents. It can happen to anyone, say, the little ones, children, ageing adults, or older people. Although it can affect people of all ages, the most common targets of fall accidents are young and old individuals. Generally, it leads to cuts, scrapes, and bruises, which are minor cases. However, it can also be severe and send people to the emergency room. There are some cases where people seek surgery for a labral tear, shoulder cut, or worse they suffer Intracerebral Haemorrhage (ICH). Falls can lead to severe injuries, such as the following:
- Concussions due to bumps to the head
- Abrasions or scrapes
- Bruises
- Cuts
- Fractures
- Broken bones
- Subdural Hematomas, or the bleeding within and around the brain, commonly occur in people with thinner blood
- Intracerebral Haemorrhage, which is the bleeding within the brain tissue itself
- Stroke
- Death
Falls can happen to anyone. It can occur to people heading out, going to the living room, slipping in the bathroom, getting something from their cupboards, falling from their bed due to tangled bedsheets, or accidentally missing a step going down the stairs. People who are drunk are highly likely to suffer from a similar accident too. If, by any chance, you encounter a fall accident, observe how your body reacts. If you feel drowsy, lose consciousness, or vomit, immediately seek a doctor and get treated as early as possible to reduce the chances of getting surgery for a labral tearor other body part injured.
2. FALLING OBJECTS
Another thing to watch out for is falling objects. It commonly happens to children, especially when they move around and get curious about what they see. Because they can’t reach something, they generally pull objects down and injure themselves. This action can result in the item falling on top of them, causing either arm and shoulder injuries or head bumps. Be aware of their movements to avoid the hefty expenses and chances of injuring their arm or shoulder and getting rotator cuff repair and other treatment options. Ensure that tablecloth edges, dish towels, wirings, and other items at home are out of their reach.
3. DOMESTIC-ABUSE
A survey made by International Violence Against Women Survey in 2010 revealed that domestic abuse is common in Singapore. 1 in 10 women suffers from physical violence by their partner. Violence within households may happen too, which can also be the cause of injuries.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, most citizens followed the stay-at-home orders to save them from the virus. But due to this reason, the cases of domestic violence increased. Some common forms are slapping, kicking, punching, pushing, choking, and scratching. According to a study by Florida State University, the typical results of physical abuse are scars, contusions, strangulation marks, hematomas, and body injuries, such as knee injury, broken fingers, shoulder slap tear, fractures, or broken teeth.
4. GLASS-RELATED ACCIDENTS
Breaking stuff inside your home is also likely to happen, as these circumstances are unavoidable. You can encounter this when a glass, say, your glass vase, accidentally slips from your hand. Generally, the most common result of glass-related accidents is a cut. However, you can also encounter severe injuries on some body parts, such as the wrist, shoulder, limbs, and knees, which may require replacement knee surgery depending on the case. Glass-related accidents can cause:
- Surface-level cuts
- Deep-level lacerations
- Shock
- Abrasions or scrapes
- Bleeding, uncontrolled bleeding, or haemorrhage, especially when it falls on your head
- Severe pain
- Severed limbs
- Bleeding to death, especially if it hits the neck arteries
As much as possible, be careful with glasses and other furniture pieces and items around your home, especially when you have a little one in your family.
Final Remarks
Your home is your safe haven. However, it can also be the primary source of household accidents. Millions of people get seriously injured within their homes every year, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak. During the pandemic, people had to stay home and spend more time there. Since 2020 or when the surge of cases rapidly increased, the number of injuries people encountered within their abodes has significantly risen.
Injuries can take many forms. It can be through road collisions, accidents, abuse, and other unforeseen circumstances. It can result in minor or severe conditions, which may require you to get replacement knee treatment or surgeryfor body parts. To protect you and your family from the hazards in your home, consider assessing your house, especially the most dangerous areas, such as the bathroom, kitchen, and stairs.
At Advanced Orthopaedic and Sports Centre, they specialise in treating various orthopaedicconditions. If you need treatment for scoliosis, elbow instability, heel pain, a hip labral tear in Singapore, or any other injuries, you can contact them on their website to enquire.