Lockdown hobbies, DIY projects spark wave of emergency injuries at The Alfred
Hobbies and DIY mishaps are among an array of activities causing a spike in people arriving at Melbourne hospitals with serious at-home injuries as would-be chefs and amateur tradies get into strife.
Inner South
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Hospitals have seen a spike in serious injuries caused by DIY mishaps and new-found isolation hobbies.
Falls from ladders and roofs, baking-related burns and nasty skateboard spills are among the reasons for non-COVID-19 trips to the emergency room.
Emergency and trauma specialist at The Alfred hospital, Dr Helen Stergiou, told the Leader at-home accidents had been the most common cause of emergency room presentations in the past three weeks.
“The overall volume (of presentations) is down across emergency and trauma by about 40 to 50 per cent … but we’ve seen an increase in DIY-related events,” she said.
“We’ve had people climbing up ladders or milk crates or do their gutters or cut branches and falling off roofs.
“We had someone who was cleaning up a room and moving furniture around and had a whole full cupboard fall on him.
“Three weeks ago most of these injuries wouldn't have happened because people didn't have the time to climb up on their roof etc.”
Dr Stergiou said burns had increased significantly as people used their time at home to cook lavish meals or bake.
“Regionally, we’ve also had quite a few burns caused by backyard ‘bonfires’ as people tidy-up by burning old furniture or debris,” she said.
Nasty injuries have included bleeding on the brain, collapsed lungs, a broken neck, broken ribs and several broken pelvises as well as burns to the face, arms and torso.
Dr Stergiou said older people “who would normally call a gardener or handyman to do the job” have been injured taking matters into their own hands during isolation.
But younger people had also been well-represented in the patient numbers, she said.
“There have been people who have decided to take up skateboarding, or get back on their skateboards, and attempt to do tricks they used to be able to do and have a bad fall,” she said.
She said many of the injuries could be catastrophic, even fatal, depending on the person.
She urged people to take precautions and “stop and think” before tackling a DIY job or starting a new hobby.
“We want people to be active, and we need people to be active for their health and, importantly, their mental health,” Dr Stergiou said.
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“But people need to remember the risk is real and risk increases as we get older.
“When trying something new, be patient rather than being a patient.”
Dr Stergiou also urged people to see a doctor or visit the emergency department if they experienced severe chest or abdominal pain.
“We want people to know we’re open for businesses as usual,” she said.
“There is some concern people will hang on at home instead of getting checked out but we want them to come in if they've got severe pain.”