Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35439948›Full record

Observational studyBMC geriatrics2022

Injuries from falls by older adults in long-term care captured on video: Prevalence of impacts and injuries to body parts.

Vicki Komisar, Aleksandra Dojnov, Yijian Yang, Nataliya Shishov, Helen Chong, Ying Yu, Ian Bercovitz, Michael D Cusimano, Clemens Becker, Dawn C Mackey and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC geriatrics, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed
16.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 43 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Strategies to Minimize Fall-related Injuries in Older Adults at Risk of Falls: The Falling Safely Training Study.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2025
    Trial
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  7. Fall Risk Management in Nursing Homes: A Scoping Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Review
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  13. Role of the Upper Limb in Limiting Head Impact During Laboratory-Induced Falls in at Fall-Risk Older Adults.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.

Vicki KomisarDepartment of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada. vkomisar@sfu.ca.
Aleksandra DojnovDepartment of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
Yijian YangDepartment of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, SAR, Shenzhen, China.
Nataliya ShishovDepartment of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
Helen ChongDepartment of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
Ying YuDepartment of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
Ian BercovitzDepartment of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
Michael D CusimanoDivision of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health, LiKaShing Knowledge Institute, 209 Victoria St, Toronto, ON, M5B 1T8, Canada.
Clemens BeckerRobert Bosch Hospital, Auerbachstraße 110, 70376, Stuttgart, Germany.
Dawn C MackeyDepartment of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
Stephen N RobinovitchDepartment of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
Simon Fraser University · CAChinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen · CNHeidelberg University · DESt. Michael's Hospital · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFalls are the leading cause of injuries in older adults. However, most falls in older adults do not cause serious injury, suggesting that older adults may fall in a manner that reduces the likelihood of impact to body sites that are most vulnerable to injury. In this observational study of falls in long-term care (LTC), we tested whether body parts differed in their probability of impact and injury.

methodsWe recorded and analyzed videos of 2388 falls by 658 LTC residents (mean age 84.0 (SD = 8.1); 56.4% female). We used Linear Mixed Models to test for differences between body parts in the probability of impact and injury, and injury when impacts occurred.

resultsInjuries were reported in 38.2% of falls, and 85.9% of injuries involved direct impact to the injured body part. Impact occurred most often to the hip/pelvis (probability (standard error) = 0.95 (0.01); p < .001 relative to other body parts), and least often to the head (0.35 (0.01)). Conversely, injury occurred most often to the head (p < .001 relative to other body parts). The probability of injury when impacts occurred was 0.40 (0.01) for the head, and 0.11 or less for all other body parts.

conclusionOur results help to explain why most falls by older adults in LTC do not cause serious injury: residents land on body parts that are the most resilient to injury. The high susceptibility of the head to injury reinforces the need to enhance upper limb protective responses for fall arrest. The dominant role of direct impact as the mechanism of injury supports approaches to attenuate impact forces through strategies like protective clothing and compliant flooring.

Indexed as

Accidental FallsLong-Term CareAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHuman BodyHumansMalePrevalenceBone fractureFallsHead injuryInjuryNursing homesOlder AdultsResidential careVideo capture and analysis

Identifiers

PMID35439948
PMCPMC9019961
OpenAlexW4224298646

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.