Most spinal injuries in India caused by accidents: Study

NEW DELHI - Road accidents account for the largest number of disabilities and spinal cord injuries in India, a study has revealed.

The Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) which conducted the study, said in a statement Monday that 43.5 percent injuries are caused by road accidents. The study analysed 1,138 patients treated in ISIC who hail from both rural and urban areas.

“Road accidents cause a large number of spinal injuries in the west as well,” an official of ISIC said.

Besides accidents, falling from a height is the second most common cause of spinal injuries, accounting for 38.04 percent.

The study also found that it’s mostly men who suffer from spinal injuries, with the ratio between men and women being 5.6:1. Across the globe the ratio is 3.8:1.

According to the study, the most probable reason for the imbalanced ratio is that a lot of women in India are homebound and not prone to injuries.

H.S. Chhabra, a doctor at the ISIC said: “These studies will help us develop better prevention and treatment methods in India. It is very crucial to keep an eye on injury patterns as these can provide a hint to devise solutions like specialised treatments and setting up specialty centres.”