Living in the sunshine state, we Floridians worry about alligators, Florida panthers, pythons, and believe it or not, puppies. Puppies? Yes, those adorable furballs can turn into four-legged hazards quicker than you can say "fetch!"
Cute puppy created with AI November 12, 2023 at 8:50 AM
Our canine companions, usually the stars of our hearts, have a hidden talent for causing chaos. My friend Ellen’s dog became a stealthy ankle-breaker in a dimly lit hallway. Another friend tripped over her dog’s leash when her dog darted in front of her. She broke her leg.
My friends are in good company. President Biden broke his foot while playing with his dog. (1)
While leashed dogs are the most common tripping hazard, cats aren’t totally blameless. How can those calm creates that nap 23 hours a day be dangerous? When they get underfoot. Cats can follow you around like dogs, but unlike trained dogs who heel by your side, cats weave in and out of your legs while you’re walking. A few years ago I was chasing my current cat (for fun) and I lost my balance when trying to avoid stepping on him. I slid on the floor, arms extended in front of me, like a baseball player sliding into base. I suffered an avulsion fracture in my shoulder. In 1988, my previous cat was underfoot as I was going down the stairs. When I stepped over her, missed a step, fell down the two last stairs, and bruised my hip. I’m glad I wasn’t at the top of the stairs.
Generated with AI ∙ November 12, 2023 at 9:16 AM
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every year, more than 86,000 fall injuries are caused by pets. (2) Dogs are the biggest culprits, causing 88 percent of the injuries. Cats cause 12 percent of falls, according to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
So seniors beware, your faithful companions might pose a greater threat than the gator sunbathing by the pond. In 2022, there were only 22 alligator bites in Florida, none fatal. (3)
But it's not just our furry friends we need to watch out for. Parking lot wheel stops, those inconspicuous barriers we see every day, have turned into the nemesis of four of my friends. Within the past year, four of my friends have tripped over wheel stops, resulting in a crunched knee, a broken arm and nose, a broken leg, and a broken wrist.
Two of my friends acknowledged they were distracted by talking with friends when they fell. Another friend didn’t see the block in the darkness. Also, our aging eyes can miss these tripping hazards. That’s one reason to get your cataracts fixed as early as possible.
Breaking any bone is problematic, but especially wrists. I know, I’ve broken both wrists (at separate times, thank heavens), When you break your leg or your nose you can still put on your clothes, cook, clean, and wipe. When you break a wrist, these functions are challenging if not impossible. Wrist surgeon Ladan Hajipour says losing these functions can even lead to depression (4) or a lot of fights with your spouse.
I try to pay full attention to where I’m putting my feet. But being cautious has its drawbacks, too. Looking down when you walk, a supposed safety measure can throw off your balance. (5) And while you think taking smaller steps might help, it actually makes you less stable, like a tripod with its legs only five inches apart.
A forensic engineering analysis of trips and falls goes one step further. These engineers suggest eliminating wheel stops. (6) But then you might have more cars not stopping when they should and smashing into buildings and into each other. Any other solutions?
Finally, if your puppy or the wheel stop doesn’t send you tumbling, your shoes may. I might get kicked out of the Jimmy Buffet fan club for this, but flip-flops can be a no-no for seniors. Sure, I’d love to show off beautifully pedicured feet in blinged flip-flops, but let’s face it, they are hazardous at any age. They get caught in cracks and escalator steps. When you turn, they don’t – leaving your foot half-shod. When you walk fast they flap like a dying fish.
So if you are worried about things like alligators, panthers, snakes, or whatever creepy creatures that might be lurking in your area, maybe you’d better add puppies, bumper blocks, and flip flops to that list.
References
Hal Herzon, Ph.D., Tripping Over Pets Can Have Life-Changing Consequences, Psychology Today, October 19, 2018.
Madison Park, Dogs, cats send 86,000 Americans flying annually, CNN Health
Ramon Antonio Vargas, Florida man, 79, survives alligator bite, theguardian.com, July 15, 2023.
Ladan Hajipour, How an injured hand/wrist can affect mental health, ladanhajipour.com, May 11, 2021.
Vanessa Kettler, Building Better Balance, buildingbetterbalance.com.
Dr. Gary A. Presswood, A Forensic Engineering Analysis of Pedestrian Trips and Falls Subject to Wheelstops in Parking Lots, accidentexpert.com, May 1997.
Tom Crimmins, Danger Will Robinson, youtube.com.
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