Deck the Halls with Caution: Ankle Fractures Spike During Holiday Decoration Season

(KNSI) – Tis the season for ankle fractures.

If you’re up on the housetop to put up Christmas decorations, Dr. Jeffery Shroff says this is prime time for injuries correlating to falls off the ladder as homeowners crawl around putting up the lights. “The severity of the injury really correlates well with the height of the fall. A lot of times when people fall, they’re reaching out and catching themselves with their hands, so we get a lot of wrist fractures. Ankle injuries are common because [people] tend to fall and land on their feet.”

Dr. Jeffrey Shroff says those can be more painful and serious for those with taller houses. “If they’re really high, like up on a two story roof, you can get things like a heel bone fracture or fractures of the end of the shin bone, which can be pretty severe.”

Both joints can be tricky to treat and take a long time to heal.

Dr. Shroff says a good way to tell if you need to see a doctor is if you can hold weight. Those who can walk it off may just need a handful of Advil and a good rest.

Some tips to avoid disaster include never using a ladder alone and making sure the ladder is steady and sturdy. If you’re getting on the roof, crawl on all fours when possible to lower the risk of losing your balance.

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