aquascoot wrote on Apr 30^th, 2021 at 9:28am:


What is wrong with you? You think 4 a week is acceptable? That nothing should be done about it? Nothing can be done about car accidents (which BTW has nothing to do with the topic)

Spot

  DIY and dogs fingered for an epidemic of hand injuries
JAMES MACSMITH


Hand injury X-ray.

OVERCONFIDENT home handymen and angry dogs are creating an epidemic of serious hand injuries.

Hospitals, GPs and clinics are witnessing exponential growth in the presentation of significant hand injuries, with errant power tools and over-protective dog owners the leading victims.

But the majority of these incidents can be easily avoided.

The incidence of patients with hand injuries presenting at clinics due to do-it-yourself mishaps at home has risen by around 70 per cent over the past five years, a leading clinical nurse has estimated.

Patients visiting hand clinics with dog bites has risen by around 50 per cent over the same period. It’s a largely preventable surge in serious injuries that health authorities are desperately keen to reverse.

“ Kay Maddison, clinical nurse consultant for hand surgery at the Sydney Hospital and Sydney Eye Hospital said.

“There is the trauma of the accident and the injury itself but it’s more than just that. There is the micro surgery, the hours of delicate surgery, that in the worst cases can mean amputated or partially amputated hands or fingers.

“In many cases, immobilisation and therapy are needed. Patients might not be able to use the injured finger or hand for weeks, even months and they might never have the same functionality again.”

Ms Maddison said the majority of injuries were caused when those using power tools were rushing the job or lost concentration. In other common cases, pet owners might try to unwisely intervene in a dogfight and suffer unintended consequences.

“We see an awful lot of DIY,” she said



“It can happen in a split second but can have long-lasting consequences.”