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Irina Polonina\/Stocksy<\/p>\n <\/span> \nMore people are sustaining injuries while walking their dogs, new research shows. The findings suggest that dog-walking injuries may be more common than many people think, and that there\u2019s a a need for more information on these types of incidents.\n<\/p>\n \nFinger fractures, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and shoulder strains or sprains were the three most common injuries associated with emergency room visits related to dog walking among U.S. adults from 2001 to 2020 according to the new study, published in April in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise<\/em>. Women and people over the age of 65 were the groups likeliest to sustain serious injuries.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cDog ownership [has] increased significantly in recent years during the COVID-19 pandemic,\u201d first study author Ridge Maxson, a third-year medical student at Johns Hopkins University, said in a news release. \u201cAlthough dog walking is a common daily activity for many adults, few studies have characterized its injury burden. We saw a need for more comprehensive information about these kinds of incidents.\u201d<\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nHere\u2019s what to know about injuries related to dog walking, and how to stay safe while walking your furry family members.\n<\/p>\n Are There Hypoallergenic Dogs and Cats?<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> <\/p>\n \nFor the study, researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health used data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, and found that an estimated 422,659 adults in the U.S. sought treatment at emergency rooms for injuries related to leash-dependent dog walking from 2001 to 2020.\n<\/p>\n \nOver that two-decade time period, researchers saw the estimated annual incidence of injuries related to dog walking quadruple\u2014potentially due to increased dog ownership and dog walking as a way to be more active. There\u2019s also the possibility that reporting on dog-walking injuries has improved in recent years.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cWe suspect that this trend could be due to several factors, especially rising rates of dog ownership and promotion of dog walking as a form of daily exercise,\u201d Maxson told Health<\/em>. \u201cMany adults are trying to find ways to be more active each day, and studies have shown that dog walking is a good way to do just that.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \nNearly half of all patients who sought treatment for dog-walking injuries were ages 40 to 64, and 75% of patients were women. Older dog walkers were more likely to sustain injuries compared to younger dog walkers\u2014likely due to increased risks due to falling.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cOlder people\u2014and older women in particular\u2014are more prone to fractures because of osteoporosis,\u201d Maxson said. \u201cThere\u2019s just more vulnerability if they fall.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \nThe three most common injuries related to dog walking were finger fractures, TBIs (concussions and nonconcussive internal head injuries) and shoulder sprains or strains. Hip fractures were also common in those ages 65 and older.\n<\/p>\n \nResearchers noted that most of the injuries were caused by falling after being pulled by, tangled in, or tripped by the dog\u2019s leash.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cAlthough the leash serves as a vital link between the dog and the dog walker, it can put tension on the fingers and shoulder when a dog pulls ahead or quickly changes direction,\u201d Maxson said. \u201cThe leash can also cause dog walkers to fall to the ground by getting pulled, tripped, or tangled in the leash.\u201d\n<\/p>\n What To Do if You Have Pet Allergies<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> <\/p>\n \nSimply being aware that you can get injured while walking your dog is important, according to Erin Joy Cavin Muckey, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine and medical director of the emergency department at Rutgers Health University Hospital.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cWe need to realize that some things and activities like dog walking that seem very benign carry with them some risk,\u201d Dr. Muckey told Health<\/em>. \u201cJust be aware of that, and try not to be distracted with things like being on your cell phone while you\u2019re walking your dog.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \nBeyond that, there are a few more things you can do to make sure you\u2019re being as safe as possible while walking your pup, said Kate Anderson, DVM, assistant clinical professor at the Cornell University Duffield Institute for Animal Behavior. She recommends following these tips:\n<\/p>\n \nIf you\u2019re struggling with controlling your dog on a leash, Anderson said it\u2019s a good idea to avoid walks (if possible) until you can get them better trained. If you have a yard, that can mean playing ball in the grass instead of going for a long walk. If you live in an apartment, it may be a good idea to take your pet to your local dog run as much as possible instead of going on walks. Doing things like food puzzle toys at home can also help burn off energy, she said.\n<\/p>\n \nIt also doesn\u2019t hurt to rope in your dog\u2019s vet if walks with your pet seem risky. <\/em>\u201cDiscuss the behavior with your family veterinarian,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cThey can help determine the possible causes, rate the severity, and rule out any potential medical causes. If appropriate, they can then refer you to a qualified trainer or a veterinary behaviorist if needed.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New research shows dog-walking injuries may be more common than many people think. From 2001 to 2020, the estimated annual incidence of injuries related to dog walking quadrupled. The most common dog walking-related injuries include finger fractures, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and shoulder strains or sprains. Irina Polonina\/Stocksy More people are sustaining injuries while walking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17175,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[877,410],"tags":[878,116],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17175"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17175"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17175\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Common Injuries Associated With Dog Walking <\/span> <\/h2>\n
Reducing Your Risk of Dog-Walking Injuries <\/span> <\/h2>\n
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