Slips and Falls
Injuries associated with slip and fall accidents continue to pose a significant problem to older adults, in terms of both human suffering and economic losses. The causes of slip and fall accidents, both in terms of extrinsic and intrinsic factors and their associations have been studied by many researchers for several decadeds but are not yet fully understood.
Multiple mechanisms are involved in slip and fall accidents. The following figure is a demonstration of the process of initiation, detection, and recovery of unexpected slips and falls with possible causes and effects. Before effective fall prevention strategies can be put into practice, it is central to examine the chain of events in an accident, comprising the exposure to hazards, initiation of events and the final outcome leading to injury and disability.
