House Hold Hand Injuries- Spurt of 100 % in last one year due to Covid-19 Isolation

Dr.Neeraj Godara, 4 mins read

​There has been an increase in "House Hold" hand injuries in the last few years.

We have attended and treated more than 50 cases of "House Hold" hand injuries in the last year, compared to pre-COVID times. We used to get about 25 cases a year before COVID-19, so the number of patients has increased by 100 %. This increased number may be attributed to people staying more at home due to ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic. We used to see a lot of kids with school-related hand injuries, sports-related injuries, and injuries from fights and assaults. These incidents were expected to decrease during the lockdown period. No cases of hand injuries due to roadside accidents were noted during this period. Injuries were due to unfamiliarity with machines and tasks, lack of concentration, complacency, distraction by mobile devices, and multitasking. Such injuries, as well as the associated morbidity, are easily avoidable if appropriate precautions are taken.

Of these 50 odd patients, 18 were children and 32 were adults. The majority of children, about 85% had Door trap injuries, wherein fingers got caught between the door edges and cupboard drawers, resulting in a partial or total amputation of fingertips. But if we analyze the causes in adults, more than 65% were due to injury with mixer juicer, blender, washing machine, bike chain.

One can avoid these injuries by taking proper precautions at home:

1. For children's safety:

• Have effective door stoppers,
• Increase the gap between door and door frame
• Better lock mechanism for door and drawers.

2. For adults' safety:

• Take due precautions while operating Mixer juicer, washing machine, etc. Injuries can be avoided by closing the lid properly and opening it only when the machine stops completely.

These “House Hold” hand injuries are so common; it is advisable if one gets injured, the important thing is to stop the bleeding first by putting pressure on it with a clean cloth and raising the hand above the heart level. In case of total amputation the part has to be brought as per the instruction given in the picture:

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Fingers can be reattached even after 12-18 hours of injury if preserved properly

Once this is done then one has to approach the nearest doctor for first aid and contact a Specialist for proper treatment.

The Centre of Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement at Aakash Healthcare has a cutting-edge facility and is regarded as one of the best orthopaedic hospitals in Delhi NCR. The Centre offers comprehensive treatment and care for all orthopaedic complications and joint problems. Aakash is one of the best orthopaedic hospitals in Dwarka, with some of the best orthopaedic surgeons in Delhi available for Hand surgeries. The centre specializes in trauma and sports injury. The department of Hand, Wrist Surgery & Reconstructive Microsurgery is highly trained in managing wrist injuries, finger injuries, nail injuries, and wrist strain among several other wrist & hand injuries. If you have any query related to wrist injury symptoms, or looking for broken hand treatment, or finger injury treatment, book an appointment today and consult our expert for an honest opinion.

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