Common Halloween Accidents in Florida and How a Chiropractor Can Help

Halloween is a time for haunted houses, spooky and creative costumes, trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, bobbing for apples, and – of course – lots and lots of candy.

Although most people think of Halloween as a fun holiday, it can have some scary and often painful consequences if you’re not careful.

Let’s look at the most common types of Halloween accidents, some safety tips to help you avoid Halloween injuries, and how a chiropractor might be able to help in the event that you are injured.

What Are the Most Common Halloween-Related Injuries?

Car accidents. The biggest Halloween accident you should be aware of is getting hit by a car, which can cause multiple bodily injuries.

The odds of getting hit by a car on Halloween increase simply because there are more pedestrians on the road. In 2013, around 4,400 people ended up in the emergency room due to Halloween-related injuries.

It might surprise you to know that over half of those injury victims were adults rather than children. For kids, though, these accidents are often fatal. Child pedestrians are two times as likely to be killed walking on Halloween than on any other day of the year.

Carving injuries. The most common injury – accounting for 56 percent of Halloween cases – results from carving pumpkins. Many people wind up with hand or finger injuries because they accidentally slice into their hand while trying to hold a pumpkin steady.

Slips and trips. The second most common Halloween injury? Falls, which can cause neck and back injuries.

There are numerous ways someone can fall or trip during the Halloween season.

Costumes are a major cause of falls for a variety of reasons. If your costume is too long or too big – including oversized shoes – you might end up tripping and falling. Costume props and accessories, such as swords, light sabers, or brooms, can also easily get in the way and cause you or someone else to trip. Additionally, face masks can be hazardous if they obstruct or limit your sight. When you can’t see, you’re more likely to trip, fall, or bump into something you otherwise would have been aware of.

You could also fall when you’re putting up your Halloween decorations in an attempt to have the spookiest house on the block.

Safety Tips to Avoid Halloween Accidents and Injuries

As always, when there’s a safety concern, there are certain things you can do to be proactive to try to prevent and avoid Halloween disaster.

When carving your pumpkin… Use special pumpkin carving tools instead of your kitchen knives if you plan on decorating a pumpkin this year. Pumpkin carving tools are usually smaller, easier to control, and less likely to get stuck in the pumpkin’s thick skin.

When choosing costumes… If you’re planning to dress up this Halloween, make sure your costume is as safe as possible. This means avoid anything that impedes your ability to walk or see where you’re going. Get rid of loose or hanging fabric that can cause you to trip, as well as unnecessary accessories that just get in the way. While that scary mask might give your costume a “wow-factor,” it’s not worth it if it limits your vision.

When trick-or-treating… If you’re going to take your kids trick-or-treating, it’s important not only to practice proper pedestrian safety rules yourself, but also to teach these rules to your children. Cross streets at designated crosswalks, wait for the traffic signal to let you know it’s safe, and always look both ways. Use sidewalks and paths whenever possible, but if you have to walk on the road, walk as far to the side as you can. Also, pay attention to cars that are backing up, turning, or driving erratically.

Injured on Halloween? A Florida Chiropractor Can Help

While a chiropractor might not be able to handle your pumpkin carving injury, a skilled chiropractor can definitely help with injuries related to falls and car accidents. Chiropractors specialize in soft tissue injuries, which are the most common injuries you might experience if you fall or get hit by a car on Halloween.

A car accident or a fall can cause neck and back pain, headaches, and muscle spasms or stiffness, among other symptoms. An experienced chiropractor will be able to assess your injuries and determine the best chiropractic treatment to not only heal your injuries but also to heal your whole body.

Be safe this Halloween, but if you find yourself suffering from a Halloween injury, reach out to a Florida chiropractor to begin the healing process.

About the Author:

Dr. Singer has been a practicing chiropractor for more than 20 years, and USA Health & Therapy has been around since 2004. Over the course of his career, Singer has helped tens of thousands of people with all kinds of issues by using a wide variety of treatment strategies. He has extensive knowledge of chiropractic modalities, including Gonstead, Diversified, Thompson Drop Table, and Activator, and in 1997 he earned a special adjunctive Chiropractic Certification in Spinal Trauma (CCST) to better provide care for car crash victims. Dr. Singer is licensed to practice chiropractic medicine in both Florida and New York.