Walking the dog seems safe, but the leash has risks... That's what this study warns

Finger fracture, traumatic brain injury, and shoulder sprain or strain, the three most common injuries

MADRID, 30 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) -

In Spain, the number of registered dogs has increased by 38 percent in the last three years, with up to 9.3 million dogs, according to figures from the National Association of Pet Food Manufacturers.

Having a dog, among other things, involves a lot of care, such as taking it for a walk. Normally a leash is used to prevent it from escaping or hurting other passers-by. But this element so, a priori, innocuous could entail all kinds of risks, according to a study carried out by researchers from Johns Hopkins University (USA).

In his work, published in the scientific journal 'Medicine

Researchers have also found that women, and all adults 65 and older, were more likely to suffer serious injuries, such as fractures and traumatic brain injuries, than people in other demographic groups.

"Although dog walking is a common daily activity for many adults, few studies have characterized its burden of injuries. We saw a need for more comprehensive information on these types of incidents," said Ridge Maxson, study first author and student third-year Medicine at Johns Hopkins University.

Using the US National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database, the researchers found that an estimated 422,659 adults went to the ER for injuries resulting from leashed dog walking between 2001 and 2020.

Nearly half of the patients were adults between the ages of 40 and 64, and 75 percent of the patients were women. Most of the injuries occurred from falls after being dragged, entangled in, or tripped over by the leash of the dog they were walking.

The three most common injuries among all adults were, in order, finger fracture, TBI, and shoulder sprain or strain. TBI and hip fracture were the two most common injuries among adults 65 and older.

The TBIs identified in this study consisted of concussions and non-concussive internal head injuries, which may include contusion (a bruising of brain tissue), epidural hematoma (bleeding above the outer membrane of the brain), or subdural hematoma (bleeding below the outer membrane of the brain). of the outer membrane of the brain).

In particular, women with dog walking-related injuries were 50 percent more likely than men to suffer a fracture. Older dog walkers were more than three times as likely to suffer a fall, more than twice as likely to suffer a fracture, and 60 percent more likely to suffer a TBI than the youngest.

Over the 20-year study period, the estimated annual incidence of injuries from leashed dog walking more than four-fold. The researchers say this trend may be due to the simultaneous increase in dog ownership and the encouragement of fitness walks.

The research team hopes their findings will raise awareness among dog owners and encourage clinicians to talk to their patients about the potential harm of leashed dog walking.

"Clinicians need to be aware of these risks and convey them to patients, especially women and the elderly. We encourage clinicians to screen for pet ownership, assess risk of fractures and falls, and discuss safe dog walking practices in regular health maintenance visits for these vulnerable groups. Despite our findings, we also strongly encourage people to keep their dogs on a leash whenever legally required," said Edward McFarland, lead author of the study and director of the Division of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine.