Fall-induced spinal cord injury: External causes and implications for prevention

Abstract

Objective: To document the demographic and clinical profile of persons who sustained spinal cord injury (SCI) as a result of accidental falls and to determine the usual circumstances surrounding the fall-induced SCI. Design: Cohort study. Results: Falls on the same level from slipping, tripping, and stumbling were the most common cause of fallinduced SCI (20%), followed by falls from building (16%), stairs and steps (16%), and ladder (9%). People who were 61 years of age and older had the highest frequency of falls on the same level, while those aged 16-45 years had a higher percentage of falls from buildings, usually work-related. The mechanisms of falls also varied by sex and race. Associated injury and vertebral injury occurred frequently among falls from buildings and ladders. High falls were more likely to be work-related and result in thoracic and complete injury, while low falls were more commonly associated with cervical and motor functionally incomplete injury. Conclusion: The study findings of different mechanisms of falls by age, sex, race and medical consequences provide an insight for future interventions aimed at high risk persons, activities, and environmental factors for preventing or reducing fall-induced SCI.

Epidemiological study of traumatic spinal cord injuries: experience from a specialized spine center in Iran

“…Low falls in the elderly (slipping, tripping, stumbling, stairs and steps) have been reported to constitute~36% of the falls in developed countries. 25 MVAs have been the most common etiology in our cases, and this pattern is a common finding in other studies. The percentage of MVA as the cause of TSCI was 61.8% in our cases, and this figure is very high with respect to developed countries (38%: North America and 47% United Kingdom).…”

Epidemiology of worldwide spinal cord injury: a literature review

“…45 The etiology of high falls was more probably related to work, resulting in thoracic and complete injury, while the cause of low falls was more likely associated with cervical and incomplete motor dysfunction injury. 46 It shows that we…”

Chinese Angelica Polysaccharide (CAP) Alleviates LPS-Induced Inflammation and Apoptosis by Down-Regulating COX-1 in PC12 Cells

“…Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a complex and devastating condition mainly induced by combined external forces axial compression and excessive lateral bending loading [1]. SCI leads to complex cellular and molecular interactions within the central nervous system (CNS) and results in severe neurological disorders [2].…”