Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that finger fractures, head injuries (TBIs) and shoulder sprains are the three most common injuries that dog owners suffer when walking their pets. More scientific work can be found in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
According to United States Adult Hospitalization Statistics , between 2001 and 2020, 422,659 people sought medical attention for injuries while walking their pet. It is noteworthy that people over 65 years of age most often received TBI and fractures of the limbs.
Nearly half of all hospitalized patients were between the ages of 40 and 64. Women made up 75% of all people aged. Most of the accidents have been due to falls after the dogs pulled hard on the leash. In addition, it is not uncommon for people to simply get tangled in a leash.
The researchers also found that women are 50% more likely than men to get bone fractures. Older dog walkers were more than three times more likely to fall, more than twice as likely to have fractures, and 60% more likely to have a TBI than those in the younger age group.
Interestingly, over the past 19 years, the annual rate of hospitalizations due to dog walking accidents has more than quadrupled. The researchers argue that this trend may be due to the increase in the number of dog owners, as well as the desire of owners to be in healthy physical shape. Scientists believe that walks with pets have become a substitute for physical exercise for many owners.
