Taking your furry friend for a walk not only keeps you fit, but also strengthens your bond. Yet it’s essential to bear in mind the potential risks. A Johns Hopkins University study reveals that a pleasant stroll can take you straight to the emergency room. It’s striking that people aged 65 and over are the most likely to face such mishaps.
Disturbing statistics from 2001 to 2020 point to 422,000 dog-walking-related emergency room visits in the USA alone. Most common injuries are finger fractures, head trauma and shoulder sprains or strains. A perceptive publication in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise points out that women and adults over 65 are more likely to suffer serious injuries. Fractures and head injuries are most common in these people, with hip fractures also a problem for the elderly.
Ridge Maxson, a third-year medical student at Johns Hopkins University and lead author of a revealing study, has highlighted an intriguing trend in American households. In a survey conducted between 2021 and 2022, Ridge Maxson revealed a fascinating statistic: 53 out of every 100 households in the U.S. now have at least one loyal canine companion.
