Twisting an ankle in a fall with no ice in sight…how to prevent springtime falls
Page information
Gangnam St. Peter's Hospital 26-02-24 14:10Main content
Falls are commonly regarded as a problem of middle and older age, but they occur quite often in younger age groups. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's ‘2024 in-depth survey of emergency room injury patients’, people in their 30s to 50s accounted for more than 20% of patients who visited hospital for a fall.
Such accidents rise noticeably in spring, when outdoor activity increases. Director Yang, Kyu Hyun of the Fracture & Trauma Center at St. Peter's Hospital said, “In practice, once temperatures rise from March onward, we tend to see more patients with falls that occur during outdoor activity.” He added, “Outdoors, people should keep in mind that, regardless of age, even a small lapse in attention can result in a fall and injury.”
The injuries to watch for most in a fall are traumatic brain injury and fractures of the arms and legs caused by the impact of the fall itself. Arm injuries are the second most common after head injuries, because of the reflex of instinctively putting out a hand to break the fall.
The ankles and knees are also prone to injury from sudden twisting. The typical example is a sprain — what people usually describe as ‘twisting’ a joint — in which the ankle buckles while a person is trying to regain balance, straining the joint and ligaments. It is easy to dismiss when pain or swelling is not severe, but leaving a grade 2 or higher sprain with a torn ligament untreated can lead to chronic joint instability, so caution is needed.
To prevent falls during outdoor activity, it is important to check your surroundings carefully and to keep the intensity of the activity in line with your own fitness. If you ride a bicycle or kickboard, wear a helmet and joint protectors for safety. When running, too, wear shoes that safely support the structure of the foot, and run safely, watching the surrounding terrain and the ground underfoot.
Also avoid careless behavior such as walking while looking at a smartphone, even on familiar routes like the commute. Unlike winter, with its many icy patches, spring road surfaces look stable and it is easy to let your guard down, yet accidents in which a foot catches on a small structure or misses a step happen often.
If a fall causes a fracture or sprain, the first thing needed is RICE first aid. Standing for ▶Rest ▶Ice ▶Compression ▶Elevation, it is effective in reducing swelling and pain. After that, see an orthopedics department immediately. It is best to immobilize the injured area so that it does not shift while the person is being moved.
Dr. Yang stressed, “If the pain is severe or accompanied by bleeding, and sharp pain recurs every time you move, you should get to a hospital as quickly as possible and be diagnosed by a specialist.” He added, “After a fracture from a fall, you must not force the area back into place or endure the pain and carry on with activity.”
Source: Health Joongang (https://jhealthmedia.joins.com)
Such accidents rise noticeably in spring, when outdoor activity increases. Director Yang, Kyu Hyun of the Fracture & Trauma Center at St. Peter's Hospital said, “In practice, once temperatures rise from March onward, we tend to see more patients with falls that occur during outdoor activity.” He added, “Outdoors, people should keep in mind that, regardless of age, even a small lapse in attention can result in a fall and injury.”
The injuries to watch for most in a fall are traumatic brain injury and fractures of the arms and legs caused by the impact of the fall itself. Arm injuries are the second most common after head injuries, because of the reflex of instinctively putting out a hand to break the fall.
The ankles and knees are also prone to injury from sudden twisting. The typical example is a sprain — what people usually describe as ‘twisting’ a joint — in which the ankle buckles while a person is trying to regain balance, straining the joint and ligaments. It is easy to dismiss when pain or swelling is not severe, but leaving a grade 2 or higher sprain with a torn ligament untreated can lead to chronic joint instability, so caution is needed.
To prevent falls during outdoor activity, it is important to check your surroundings carefully and to keep the intensity of the activity in line with your own fitness. If you ride a bicycle or kickboard, wear a helmet and joint protectors for safety. When running, too, wear shoes that safely support the structure of the foot, and run safely, watching the surrounding terrain and the ground underfoot.
Also avoid careless behavior such as walking while looking at a smartphone, even on familiar routes like the commute. Unlike winter, with its many icy patches, spring road surfaces look stable and it is easy to let your guard down, yet accidents in which a foot catches on a small structure or misses a step happen often.
If a fall causes a fracture or sprain, the first thing needed is RICE first aid. Standing for ▶Rest ▶Ice ▶Compression ▶Elevation, it is effective in reducing swelling and pain. After that, see an orthopedics department immediately. It is best to immobilize the injured area so that it does not shift while the person is being moved.
Dr. Yang stressed, “If the pain is severe or accompanied by bleeding, and sharp pain recurs every time you move, you should get to a hospital as quickly as possible and be diagnosed by a specialist.” He added, “After a fracture from a fall, you must not force the area back into place or endure the pain and carry on with activity.”
Source: Health Joongang (https://jhealthmedia.joins.com)