Falling (accident)

For other meanings, see Falling (disambiguation).

Falling
Falling is a normal experience for young children, but falling from a significant height or onto a hard surface can be dangerous.
ComplicationsHead injury, concussion, bone fracture,[1] abrasion, bruise
Risk factorsConvulsion, vision impairment, difficulty walking, home hazards[1]
Frequency226 million (2015)[2]
Deaths527,000 (2015)[3]

Falling is the action of a person or animal losing stability and ending up in a lower position, often on the ground. It is the second-leading cause of accidental death worldwide and a major cause of personal injury, especially for the elderly.[4] Falls in older adults are a major class of preventable injuries. Construction workers, electricians, miners, and painters are occupations with high rates of fall injuries.

Long-term exercise appears to decrease the rate of falls in older people.[5] About 226 million cases of significant[clarification needed] accidental falls occurred in 2015.[2] These resulted in 527,000 deaths.[3]

  1. ^ a b "Important Facts about Falls – Home and Recreational Safety". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study, Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence collaborators (8 October 2016). "Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015". Lancet. 388 (10053): 1545–1602. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31678-6. PMC 5055577. PMID 27733282.
  3. ^ a b Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study Mortality and Causes of Death collaborators (8 October 2016). "Global, regional, and national life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes of death, 1980–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015". Lancet. 388 (10053): 1459–1544. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(16)31012-1. PMC 5388903. PMID 27733281.
  4. ^ "Fact sheet 344: Falls". World Health Organization. October 2012. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sout2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).