Slip and fall accidents are among the most common causes of workplace/job injuries and can happen anywhere. Work areas can have all kinds of slipping or tripping hazards, including uneven or cracked floors, equipment, furniture, cords, wet floors, and clutter from debris. Individuals involved in a slip-and-fall accident can sustain injuries that vary in severity. The key is to see a doctor or chiropractor immediately to document the slipping and falling injuries and develop a personalized treatment and rehabilitation plan. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic can help.

Slipping and Falling Injuries

An individual can experience the following:

• Musculoskeletal injuries
• Back and/or spinal cord injuries
• Hip, knee, and ankle injuries
• Nerve injuries
• Fractured or broken bones
• Facial fractures
• Brain injuries
• Paralysis
• Permanent disability

Contributing Factors

The type of injury and degree of severity depends on physical and biological factors present during the slipping and falling. These include:

Physical Condition

• An individual’s age, size, gender, and health can influence the type of injury sustained.

Height and Location of the Fall

• Slipping, tripping, stumbling, or tumbling injuries could be minimal to severe, depending on the force, height, and location.

Surface Impact

• The acceleration during the fall and how the body impacts the surface play an important role in the severity of the injury.

Body Position

• Protective reflexes, such as outstretched arms, to break the fall or whether or not the body hit the ground directly determine the injury and to what extent.

Symptoms

• Muscle pain and tension are the most common symptoms after slipping and falling.
• The muscle fibers overstretch, causing inflammation and swelling to develop.
• The pain can often start immediately after or a few days later, known as delayed injury symptoms.
• If the nerves sustain injury or irritation, they begin to swell, and the body responds to protect the damaged areas.
• The contact inflammation and irritation can cause tightness and spasms.
• Continuing ongoing discomfort and pain.
• Stomach discomfort and pain.
• Significant bruising.
• Limitations in movement.

Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractors are experts in slip-and-fall injuries and will use adjustments and various therapy protocols to realign the body and restore function. The objective is to relieve symptoms, rehabilitate the injured area/s, and regain mobility. Physical therapy and strength-building exercises under a specialist’s supervision and at home are implemented to get back the use of the injured body part.

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Inflammation

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References

Li, Jie, et al. “Slip and Fall Incidents at Work: A Visual Analytics Analysis of the Research Domain.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 16,24 4972. 6 Dec. 2019, doi:10.3390/ijerph16244972

Pant, Puspa Raj et al. “Home-related and work-related injuries in Makwanpur district, Nepal: a household survey.” Injury prevention: journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention vol. 27,5 (2021): 450-455. doi:10.1136/injuryprev-2020-043986

Shigemura, Tomonori, et al. “Characteristics of stepladder fall injuries: a retrospective study.” European journal of trauma and emergency surgery: official publication of the European Trauma Society vol. 47,6 (2021): 1867-1871. doi:10.1007/s00068-020-01339-8

Smith, Caroline K, and Jena Williams. “Work-related injuries in Washington State’s Trucking Industry, by industry sector and occupation.” Accident; analysis and prevention vol. 65 (2014): 63-71. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2013.12.012

Son, Hyung Min, et al. “Occupational fall injuries presenting to the emergency department.” Emergency medicine Australasia: EMA vol. 26,2 (2014): 188-93. doi:10.1111/1742-6723.12166