Health
ER Doctors Reveal Everyday Risks to Avoid
Health Points
- Proper ladder use and safety gear can prevent serious falls at home.
- Always wear a helmet and follow traffic rules when using e-bikes or e-scooters.
- Protective measures are crucial for yard work, animal encounters, and fireworks.
Emergency medicine physicians have firsthand experience with avoidable injuries, often seeing cases that could have been prevented by taking simple safety steps.
They emphasize the importance of using ladders correctly, wearing helmets with e-bikes, practicing caution around unfamiliar animals, protecting yourself during yard work, and leaving fireworks to professionals.
Safety Habits Doctors Swear By
Accidents from ladders frequently occur during home maintenance activities, says Dr. Candace Leigh, who urges, “Consider having someone else help stabilize the ladder and hand you tools or decorations.” Improper ladder choice or setup can have significant consequences, including head and spinal injuries.
Dr. Eric Cioè-Peña dislikes seeing riders skip helmets on e-bikes and e-scooters, reminding readers that “head injuries are 100% preventable” if you simply wear a helmet. As e-bikes and scooters gain popularity, so do incidents involving broken bones and road rash.
Animal-related injuries are another common reason for ER visits. Dr. John Riggins Jr. advises, “Always ask the owner before petting, and move slowly.” Animal scratches and bites can easily become infected if not treated properly.
Gardening and lawn care demand personal protective equipment, according to Dr. Gabe Kelen. Wearing gloves, goggles, and sturdy shoes helps minimize accidental injuries, and neglecting these can lead to severe harm such as vision loss or even amputations.
Fireworks cause thousands of injuries every year. Dr. Riggins cautions, “We’ve seen really bad, dramatic injuries to the hands and other body parts, burns, and damage to the eyes and eardrums.” The safest approach: enjoy public shows instead of setting them off at home.
Kitchen accidents can be serious, especially when using knives improperly. Selecting the right knife and technique is essential to avoid cuts or worse.
Make safety a daily habit and protect yourself with these simple steps that ER doctors recommend.
