Common Injuries from Slip and Falls

Nobody wants to slip and fall, especially in front of other people. But, embarrassment should be the least of your concerns with slips and falls. This type of incident can result in various injuries that prohibit you from doing what you love until you heal.

Fortunately, though, a chiropractor in Decatur or Atlanta, GA, such as the one at Integrated Health & Injury can help with the healing process of various acute slip and fall injuries.

 

Sprained Wrist or Ankle
Whether you fall and catch yourself with your wrist or move your ankle in an awkward position resulting in a fall, you could experience a sprained ankle or wrist. With a sprain, you move a ligament outside its normal range of motion. As a result, you either tear or stretch out the ligament.

A sprain will cause pain and swelling. You might notice bruising at the site. It’s also possible that this injury will limit your range of motion.

In some cases, you may feel or hear a popping sensation in the affected joint during the injury.

 

Shoulder Dislocation
You may use your arm to prevent you from falling, which can cause a domino effect, possibly pulling your humerus, which is the arm bone that extends from your shoulder to your elbow, out of the socket.

A shoulder dislocation can cause you pain and prevent you from moving your arm as you normally would.


Hip Fractures
Around 300,000 Americans ages 65 and older fracture a hip each year. Younger individuals may sustain a hip fracture, too; however, it’s uncommon. Primarily, this is because your bones tend to be stronger when you’re younger. Osteoporosis, for instance, can affect your hip joint, particularly, once you reach 50 or older. The weakening makes you more vulnerable to a fracture.  

A fractured hip may cause pain and make it difficult for you to walk.

 

Concussion
A concussion classifies as a traumatic brain injury. During a slip and fall accident, you may develop one if you hit your head when you fall. During the incident, your brain bounces in your skull rapidly back and forth. Sometimes, it even twists inside your skull. As a result, chemical changes happen in the brain. You could also sustain brain cell damage from a concussion.

Signs of a concussion tend to begin within hours or days of the injury. You might notice you’re slurring your speech, have a headache that won’t go away or continues to worsen, or experience confusion. You may also suffer from memory loss, nausea or vomiting, or a fatigued feeling.

Other symptoms of a concussion include:

Decreased coordination, weakness, or numbness
Drowsiness
Loss of consciousness at the time of fall
Difficulty concentrating
Sleep disturbances
Ringing in ears (tinnitus)
 

Torn Knee Ligament
Slips and falls could cause damage to your knee. Specifically, you might injure one of your ligaments. Keep in mind that your knee consists of four ligaments that provide stability and support.

For instance, the medial collateral ligament (MCL) ensures your knee doesn’t move too far from one side or the other. The lateral collateral ligament (LCL) is necessary for regulating how far your knee can move from side to side as well.

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) plays a role in the knees’ range of motion from backward to forward. Additionally, it prevents the tibia from moving too far forward.

The posterior cruciate ligament runs diagonally and connects the back of the tibia and front of the femur. It plays a role in controlling backward and forward motions in the knee.

An injury to any of these ligaments during a fall can cause you pain and stiffness and limit your motion. Instability and bruising are possible as well.

A slip and fall can cause any of the aforementioned injuries and then some. A chiropractor in Decatur or Atlanta, GA, like one from Integrated Health & Injury, can ease your pain. The practitioner may promote healing. You’ll receive exercise therapy and information regarding managing your condition more optimally.

Book an appointment with Integrated Health & Injury, serving Decatur, Atlanta, and the nearby regions, if you recently had a fall. We’re available to help, and it’s as simple as calling 404-288-9000 or using our online form.