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Floored! Safety Tips From Falls Aren't Funny Author Russ Kendzior

When Charlie Chaplin fell down on the silver screen, we laughed. When our aged mothers-in-law fell down the stairs, we went to the emergency room. Chaplin was a comic acrobat controlling his fall. The mothers-in-law... not so much.

That's why safety expert Russell Kendzior named his book Falls Aren't Funny. After researching falls for 20 years, the head of the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) points out that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers falls among older people to be a national epidemic --and he's trying to keep falls from spreading like a raging virus.

Falls are in every sense a big downer, as measured both in human suffering…

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Articles of Interest

Bone Broke? Me Fix!

Pelvic fractures are difficult to diagnose because there is not always an obvious sign of an injury, and can be life threatening if not diagnosed quickly. It is important to have a high index of suspicion if the mechanism of injury is blunt trauma. This

CORE EM: Pelvic Vertical Shear Fractures

Unstable ipsilateral anterior and posterior fractures of the pelvic ring, with resultant superior displacement of one hemipelvis. Also known as the Malgaigne fracture.

Exercises for a Pelvic Fracture

Bone healing after a pelvic fracture can take between six to 12 weeks. That does not necessarily mean that you will return to your pre-injured condition by then -- that could take up to a year. However, once the bone-healing has occurred, you should be able to resume your regular day-to-day activities. Once full strength of the pelvis and affected muscles returns, your physician may allow you to resume athletic activities or heavy industrial-type work you enjoy or are required to do for your job.

Fear of Falling: Breaking the Dangerous Downward Cycle

Remaining physically active is essential, but it is only one part of a larger fall-prevention picture, which also includes medication management, vision upkeep, proper footwear and a safe home environment.

Innovative New Programs to Combat Falls

Falls are not a rite of passage that comes with age; with a little bit of education and awareness, falls can be prevented. The trouble is finding an effective way to spread the word.

Physical Therapy Guide to Pelvic Fracture

Pelvic fractures are most common in people 15-28 years of age. In people younger than 35, males suffer a higher incidence of pelvic fractures than females. In people older than 35, females suffer pelvic fractures more often than males.

Resources

Atlas of Pelvic Fractures

Pelvic Trauma management.

Broken Pelvis - Recovery time

The time span for recovering from a fractured pelvis.

Bleeding and Pelvic Fractures

Arterial bleeding from a pelvic fracture is more common than previously thought. The doctor books used to say that 10% of bleeding was arterial and 90% was venous, so angiographic techniques were seldom used unless there was clinical evidence of blood loss. It looks like arterial bleeding occurs more frequently than we think. Here are tips that help you identify patients at risk...

Minor pelvic fractures (pelvic fragility fractures) in the older adult

Minor pelvic fractures in the elderly involve either low energy mechanisms or repetitive stresses in osteoporotic bone (insufficiency fractures). These fractures may be either displaced or non-displaced and generally involve both anterior and posterior elements of the pelvis. For the purposes of this review, low energy and pelvic insufficiency fractures will be considered together as some degree of insufficiency is universally present.

Pelvic Ring Fractures

Mechanism typically high energy blunt trauma •Mortality rate 15-25% for closed fractures, as much as 50% for open fractures.

Pubic rami fractures in the elderly – a neglected injury?

Pubic rami fractures in the elderly often occur as a result of a low-energy trauma, typically a fall from standing height. These fractures represent the most frequent type of pelvic fractures.

Trauma! Pelvic Fractures

Why is it important to detect rectal injury in patients with pelvic trauma?

American Association for the Surgery of Trauma

Injury to the pelvis occurs in approximately 8-9% percent of what is termed blunt trauma: falls, motor vehicle crashes (cars and motorcycles), bicycle wrecks, and pedestrians being struck by moving vehicles.

Patient

Complications •Increased incidence of thrombophlebitis. •Intrapelvic compartment syndrome. •Continued bleeding from fracture or injury to pelvic blood vessels. •Associated bladder, urethral prostate or vaginal damage is common. •Associated thoracic and abdominal injuries occur in 10-20%; massive internal haemorrhage may occur. •Sexual dysfunction may be a long-term problem.

SportsInjuryClinic

Pelvic fractures can be classified by severity and the degree of stability present: Grade A: Stable fracture - usually relatively minor fractures, including avulsion fractures such a Rectus Femoris avulsion, and fractures of one of the Ilia. Grade B: Rotationally unstable - compression fractures, often with separation of the pubic symphesis and widening of the SI joints. Grade C: Vertically and rotationally unstable - pelvis ring is completely disrupted. These injuries are extrememly severe, often with multiple complications and a high fatality rate.