Falling (accident)
| Falling | |
|---|---|
| Falling is a normal experience for young children, but falling from a significant height or onto a hard surface can be dangerous. | |
| Specialty | Emergency medicine |
| Complications | Head injury, concussion, bone fracture, abrasion, bruise |
| Risk factors | Convulsion, vision impairment, difficulty walking, home hazards |
| Frequency | 226 million (2015) |
| Deaths | 527,000 (2015) |
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. 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. About 226 million cases of significant accidental falls occurred in 2015. These resulted in 527,000 deaths.