Articles Tagged with lower extremity injury

The good news is that restraints in motor vehicles have become optimized so people have a lesser incidence of upper body damage. Little attention has been paid to lower extremity injuries, however, in part because they do not cause mortality in general and they carry low injury scores. They do, though, cause a great deal of disability in those who suffer them. Not only is there a great psychological burden from lower extremity injuries but there is a longstanding possible disability. Other, unrelated injuries and factors like depression influence how the patient does long term.

A patient can sustain a foot injury from slamming the foot into the seat or footboard ahead of them. Foot injuries may or may not need to be casted but certainly they impair the ability of the patient to get around. It can mean days or weeks off the job until the individual can bear weight. Fortunately there are few long term disabilities from foot fractures.

Motorcyclists are in a unique position as riders on the road. They ride on two wheels, which is an inherently unstable position. They ride without the benefit of any protective metal around them, which makes direct vehicle to patient contact likely. Road to victim contact is almost inevitable and these riders often suffer from significant injuries. Many motorcyclists use performance enhancing equipment, which makes the chances of severe injury or death quite likely.

One recent review study looked at the patterns of injury, particularly major ones, seen in motorcycle riders following their injuries. There are unique aspects of their care, including airway management, circulatory status and the management of the spine.

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