Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Using Motion Capture Technology in the Instrumented Timed Up and Go Test to Detect the Risk of Falling in Aged Adults
Published on: October 25, 2024
The perils of pet ownership: a new fall-injury risk factor
Susan E Kurrle1, Robert Day, Ian D Cameron
1Rehabilitation and Aged Care Service, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Health Service, Sydney, NSW. kurrle@bigpond.com
Objective:
To describe fall-related injuries due to pets in an older population.
Design:
Case series.
Participants And Setting:
Patients aged 75 years and over presenting to the emergency department of a metropolitan hospital in northern Sydney over 18 months, with a fracture directly related to their pet.
Main Outcome Measures:
Type of fracture; circumstances of injury.
Results:
16 cases (mean patient age, 81 years) are described; 13 (81%) involved women. Animals of five species were involved, with cats and dogs being the most common pet hazard.
Conclusions:
Pets are a potential environmental hazard in the occurrence of fall-related injuries in older people, with dogs and cats most likely to be involved. Women appear more likely than men to be injured.
Related Concept Videos
Flail Chest-I
Flail chest is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition characterized by the fracture of three or more adjacent ribs in multiple places. It is most commonly caused by direct impacts and trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents or injuries from a steering wheel impact. It can also occur due to falls in elderly individuals with osteoporosis, or assaults involving sharp objects.
Pathophysiology
The pathophysiology of flail chest is complex, involving fractures of...
Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...
Preparedness and Phobias
