USA: Consider the Gravity Before You Climb A Ladder, Mr. Senior!

SEATTLE (The Seattle Times), October 17, 2007: If you're pruning trees, clearing gutters and climbing ladders, be careful. Consider the simple household ladder: It can provide that needed boost to get you up a tree or attack those leaf-clogged gutters, but it can also slip, tip, wobble, topple, bend or simply collapse. So please, Mr. or Ms. Homeowner, before you head up those wooden or metal ladder rungs, consider the gravity of the situation: Every year, falls from ladders account for more than 164,000 emergency-room visits in the United States, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. "It's a pretty common injury," said Lisa McIntyre, trauma surgeon at Harborview Medical Center. "Folks falling off ladders or off the roof, pruning trees, cleaning the gutters or putting up Christmas lights." Last year, Harborview admitted 180 patients — an average of one every other day — who were hurt falling off a ladder. And that doesn't count the number treated in the ER and released. But before blaming the tool, note that the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says many accidents could be prevented if people took simple steps to use a ladder correctly, such as making sure it is on even ground, having someone steady it and avoid reaching too far above or to the sides of the ladder. Ladders and wet weather can be a dangerous mix; soft ground, slippery surfaces and slick ladder steps call for extra caution, whether you're using a step ladder or extension ladder. Rib fractures are a particularly common injury in such falls, McIntyre said, but she also sees head and spine injuries, as well as broken arms or wrists caused by people reaching out to break their fall. And who gets hurt? McIntyre said most of those she sees aren't professionals, such as painters and carpenters, who use ladders frequently, but people who occasionally use a ladder for a job around the house. For senior citizens, the risks are heightened. Seniors who are less active may also be less agile or have balance problems, factors which could contribute to a fall. And when they do fall, seniors tend to get hurt worse and take longer to recover. A "simple" rib fracture can more readily turn into a serious medical condition for a senior citizen, McIntyre said. Lingering rib pain may cause the patient to take shallower breaths and be unable to cough, increasing the chances of pneumonia, a common killer. Among Americans 65 and older, falls of all kinds are the leading cause of death from injuries and the most common cause for hospital admission due to trauma, said Susan Snyder of King County Senior Services. She's the local director of Project Enhance (www.projectenhance.org), a national effort to boost the health and fitness of older adults. ________________________________________________________ TEN TIPS FOR LADDER SAFETY * Use only ladders with slip-resistant feet. * Know, and don't exceed, the maximum weight the ladder was designed for. * Keep your body centered between the ladder rails at all times. Avoid leaning far to the side while working. * Don't let the ladder touch electrical wires. Use a wooden or fiberglass ladder if working near power lines. * Have a helper hold the bottom of the ladder. * Make sure the ladder's rungs are free of any slippery material. * Use a ladder on flat surfaces only. If the ground is uneven, place a wide board under the ladder's feet and make sure it is firmly in place. * If using an extension ladder, the top should stretch three feet above the supporting surface. * Do not step on the top step or the paint-bucket shelf. * Be sure locks on an extension ladder are properly engaged. Sources: Consumer Product Safety Commission, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Occupational Safety and Health Administration _________________________________________________________ In Washington state last year, nearly one third of those 65 and older had some kind of fall, Snyder said. One group particularly at risk, McIntyre said, are those who take blood-thinners such as Coumadin, often prescribed for heart disease. If they get cut or have internal bleeding, they'll be in greater danger because their blood doesn't clot as readily. "My sense is that a lot of people who get injured don't think that a fall can be very dangerous, but it can." McIntyre said. "For older folks, if they need to do things like clean out gutters, and certainly if they're on Coumadin, I would just pay the money and get some professional to do that." News researcher Gene Balk contributed to this report. By Jack Broom Seattle Times staff reporter Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company