Trauma Survivors Network - provided by ATS

Survive. Connect. Rebuild.

A Program of the ATS

Falls

In 2004, unintentional falls were the leading cause of nonfatal injuries for every age group except teenagers and young adults 15-24 years of age. Falls happen for a variety of reasons, and people normally attribute a bad fall to lack of attention, stress, or bad luck. However, there are certain risk factors to be aware of to reduce your risk of a fall and prevention strategies. Falls affect people of all ages, but particularly vulnerable groups include children under the age of 4 and older adults over the age of 65. Twenty percent to 30% of people over the age of 65 who fall suffer moderate to severe injuries such as bruises, hip fractures, or head traumas. These injuries can make it hard to get around and limit independent living. They also can increase the risk of early death. Careful detection and prevention techniques, such as improving the safety of the home environment, will reduce the potential risk of falls.

References:
Center for Disease Control
www.cdc.gov

Safe Kids Worldwide Safe Kids USA
www.usa.safekids.org


Associated pages

Childhood Falls
Groups at Risk
Risk Factors
Prevention Strategies
Older Adults and Falls
Types of Injuries from Falls