Just being alive is so dangerous. You take a risk every time you step out of bed in the morning. In fact, that could easily cause injury. So why move at all?

Lanre_The_Chandrian asked:

Medical professionals of Reddit, what is an every day activity that causes a surprising amount of injuries?

Here are some answers.

Sneezes.

You don't realize how violent a sneeze is until someone ruptures a disc.

Shoveling snow causes a surprising number of heart attacks, although it's an everyday activity only in some parts of the world and usually not all year round.

Cutting avocados. My hand surgeon has a tally for each year

Climbing ladders and standing on stuff to reach high things/change lightbulbs etc.

This goes x100 if you're aged over 70. Have seen many people with catastrophic life-changing or life-ending injuries from things like standing on the edge of the bath to get something off a shelf, trying to lean on a radiator or window sill, and so on.

Going to the bathroom. At least one hip fracture every day in my hospital.

In my 17 years as an EMS provider/Paramedic the things that cause the most injuries are: -Throw rugs -Little dogs -Mandolin slicers -Anyone over the age of 80; gravity

Oh, and alcohol

1.) Falling because you kept the lights off at night to use the restroom

2.) Taking your partners medications instead of your own by mistake

3.) Medical noncompliance

4.) Not following cleaning instructions and giving yourself chemical burns

5.) Being already injured/sick/weak and refusing to ask for assistance because you 'dont want to be a bother'

Cleaning the house naked. You would not believe how many people were innocently cleaning in the nude, only to slip and fall on a shampoo bottle/stick of deodorant/cucumber/banana/barbie doll and have it slide neatly and easily right up the rectum and get lodged there. Seriously, folks, if you're going to stick things up there, make sure they have a flared base.

"I was minding my own business doctor..."

Have seen dozens of traumatic facial injuries, lost teeth, broken knuckles, hand lacerations, bite marks, ear avulsions and more; all associated with people who were just minding their own business.

Minding your own business must be one of the most dangerous things you can do.

Skyzone and other trampoline parks that are trending in the States right now. So many broken bones...

Just picking up something heavy.

Use proper lifting form, lift from your legs, not your back.

Cutting open the "theft proof" packaging that comes standard on so many things now. Amazing how many people accidentally turn their scissors into a weapon.

EMT here and my BREAD AND BUTTER is dehydration.

If you go to a concert and you plan to get schwifty or high as a kite HYDRATE AND EAT A FEW HOURS BEFOREHAND.

I can't tell you how many people think they are stronger than a packed (and hotboxed) venue or can endure being outside in the Texas heat while drinking nothing but tequila.

Dunking hands into a sink full of sudsy water and dishes, coming up with a sliced tendon because there was a knife in there. Also grabbing knives too quickly from the dishwasher.

Move slowly! Or leave the knives until last.

Parents were medical professionals. Apparently you'd be surprised how many people put two legs into the same pant leg and fall over, causing serious injury.

Wearing flip flops. In addition to foot injuries, They cause a lot of hand injuries from trips or falls as well.

Using knives. You'd assume the average adult would know knife safety, but you'd be wrong.

Just being over 76 seems pretty dangerous. I work ems and like 90% of our calls are all elderly. Even the slightest fall at that age can turn your world upside down.