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Dog-walking injuries may be more common than you think

ER visits because of fractures, sprains, head and other injuries from walking a leashed dog increased in the past two decades, a study shows

By
May 1, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EDT
Women and older adults are more likely to suffer injuries from walking dogs on a leash, a study says. (iStock)
5 min

Fractured fingers, shoulder sprains and head injuries are common reasons people visit the emergency room. Now new research has identified a potential culprit — the family dog.

Johns Hopkins University researchers found that over a period of nearly two decades, more than 422,000 U.S. adults were treated in ERs for injuries suffered while walking leashed dogs. Women and people ages 40 to 64 made up most of the patients.