Spinal cord injuries are often thought of as the worst possible injury a person can sustain. The repercussions of an injury to the spinal cord can be catastrophic and can cause paralysis or death. It is common for people to typically associate spinal cord injuries with severe accidents and acts of violence, and while these may be common causes of spinal cord injuries, a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University has revealed that slips and falls are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries in the United States. The studied revealed that slips and falls account for nearly 42 percent of spinal cord injuries across the country.
The researchers revealed that spinal cord injuries are actually on the rise across the United States. While this may shocking news considering the seemingly perpetual betterment of technology and safety procedures our country enjoys, the researchers attributed this trend to the fact that a large portion of new injuries involved the elderly. Thus, they believe the rise in injuries has been due to the aging of the baby-boomer population.