Getting an injury could be as easy as a slip and fall. These are the types of slip and fall injuries to happen at any time, any place, and to anyone. It could affect your day, week, year or even life. They are usually very painful and have the potential of causing lost finances on hospital bill payments. These slip and fall injuries range from deadly, severe, to a minor. This read will help you understand the various injuries that can be caused by a slip and fall, and some of the ways of handling the injuries.
All You Need To Know About Slip and Fall Injuries
Types of Injuries Caused By a Slip and fall
Soft Tissue
Slip and fall injuries that fall in this category are not visible when a physical examination is conducted. In fact, it is very easy not to know that you suffered a soft tissue injury weeks after a slip and fall. They could be minor ankle and wrist spasms to tears on the ligaments and tendons. If they are attended to, they could lead to serious pain and increase your chances of suffering from more injuries. When you fall down and fail to feel anything immediately, it is still important that you seek medical attention. This is because most of the time these injuries do not produce immediate symptoms.
Head
Any head injury is a medical emergency issue. If you fall and hit any part of your head, it is likely to cause a short loss of consciousness, bleeding, and even swelling. Most of the time minor concussions clear up on their own. However, slip and fall injuries that are more serious tend to cause traumatic injuries to the brain. These TBIs (traumatic brain injuries) are likely to change the normal functions of the brain permanently. Symptoms alone cannot be used to diagnose the extent of a head injury, because the symptoms tend to be minimal in the first instance.
Abrasions and Cuts
In comparison to other slip and fall injuries these are the least severe. At first glance, they may look worse or more severe but they are not. They are easier to manage and heal. The common slip and fall wounds affect the arms and legs. Others affect the hips and head. In most cases, the treatment methods for these wounds are superficial such as stitches. However, if the injury is serious a cut or bruise could be the basis of a broken bone or concussion.
Spinal Cord
These injuries occur when the spine is compressed or severed. They need immediate care since it is very life threatening. In addition to this, the person might need ongoing treatment to help them recover. Most of the time, when a person develops this type of injury it affects their normal life functions. Some even lose their ability to move their legs. Spinal code injuries cost a lot of money with respect to the treatment plan that could last years. The severity of the injury depends on the part of the spinal code affected. The injuries that occur on the lower parts are not as severe. However, the higher the injury location the more severe it is likely to be. This is because the spinal code runs all the way through the neck to the head. The victim is likely to develop quadriplegia, paraplegia, or full paralysis.
Broken Bones
This injury ranges from severe breaks to minor ones. The injuries in this category are scary and very painful. The tissues that surround the broken bone tend to be damaged by the ordeal. This leads to the need to go through therapy for a prolonged time to reduce and prevent chronic pain and any neuromuscular dysfunction. It is very impossible to tell if a bone is broken without an x-ray. However, there are a few exceptions. For example, if the bone is protruding outside the flesh it is evident that the flesh is broken. It is characterized by concentrated pain on a join or bone. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience this. Broken bones cause serious bleeding and swelling that happens within the first twelve hours following the injury. This reduces the effectiveness of the treatment and reduces the chances of recovering.
What Are the Causes of a Slip and fall?
Most of the cases of slip and falls are caused by the negligence of the victim. The following are some of the most common causes of developing a slip and fall injury.
- Unsafe working zones or construction- This includes instances where workers fail to prepare for their construction work properly. It also includes homeowners who inspect the construction of their home without the necessary safety wear.
- Uneven surfaces like indentation and holes on the concrete floors
- Excessively wet floors that do not have warning signs. This also includes people who carelessly walk on wet floors, and refuse to read to the “wet floor” signs.
- Debris lying on the floor like grocery stores that have spilt fruits
- The playing area of your child could be littered with very many dolls and playing items that are easy to trip over and cause falling.
- Stairs
- Doorways that are very active
- Areas that have heavy traffic
- Heights that are not guarded such as roofs or windows
- Ramps
- Ladders
In 2014, a report by the National Security Council showed that with the region slip and falls are the main cause of unintentional death. The statistical death toll of 2014 was at 31,000 people. These are the number of people who died due to slip and fall injuries. You can try to avoid suffering from a slip and fall by applying the following precautions to your routine.
- Installing handrails on staircases and ramps
- Wearing shoes that are resistant to slipping
- Making sure that all the areas of your house or workspace is well lit. this will help you identify uneven ground or debris on the floor surface
- Getting rid of the debris that is likely to cause slip and falls
- Cleaning up and drying wet floors thoroughly to prevent an occurrence of a slippery floor in an active walking area
Treatments Available For Slip and Fall Injuries
- Urgent medical care- This is for immediate and serious injuries. This is the best way to deal with traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and other serious injuries.
- Chiropractic care- A chiropractor deals with issues of stiffness and pain. They will help you release the pain and restore its functions without the use of medication or surgery. They range from massage therapy, electric stim therapy, and even spinal manipulation. You will recover from your injuries within a shorter period.
- Physical therapy- This teaches techniques that can be used to prevent the development of a disability, reduces pain, increase the motion range, and restore functions of the body.
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