Table 2 Distributions of situational factors among four groups of distal-forearm fracture, hip fracture, vertebral fracture, and soft-tissue injury
Characteristic | Distal-forearm fracture (N = 203) | Hip fracture (N = 375) | Vertebral fracture (N = 189) | Soft-tissue injury (N = 717) | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | ||
Injury location | |||||
 Indoors | 108 (53.2) | 293 (78.1) | 140 (74.1) | 510 (71.1) | < 0.001 |
 Outdoors | 95 (46.8) | 82 (21.9) | 49 (25.9) | 207 (28.9) |  |
Activity during the fall | |||||
 Toileting | 20 (9.9) | 50 (13.3) | 25 (13.2) | 102 (14.2) | 0.108 |
 Get in/out of bed | 11 (5.4) | 58 (15.5) | 30 (15.9) | 74 (10.3) |  |
 Negotiating stairs | 22 (10.8) | 23 (6.1) | 14 (7.4) | 78 (10.9) |  |
 Doing housework | 25 (12.3) | 36 (9.6) | 33 (17.4) | 73 (10.2) |  |
 Walking | 109 (53.7) | 181 (48.3) | 71 (37.6) | 336 (46.9) |  |
 Other | 16 (7.9) | 27 (7.2) | 16 (8.5) | 54 (7.5) |  |
Fall mode | |||||
 Slipping | 82 (40.4) | 51 (13.6) | 45 (23.8) | 115 (16.0) | < 0.001 |
 Tripping | 39 (19.2) | 49 (13.0) | 29 (15.3) | 135 (18.8) |  |
 Leg-weakness | 10 (4.9) | 75 (20.0) | 18 (9.5) | 118 (16.5) |  |
 Fainting | 7 (3.5) | 64 (17.1) | 23 (12.2) | 132 (18.4) |  |
 Step-down | 65 (32.0) | 136 (36.3) | 74 (39.2) | 217 (30.3) |  |
Fall direction | |||||
 Forwards | 95 (46.8) | 57 (15.2) | 49 (25.9) | 341 (47.6) | < 0.001 |
 Backwards | 52 (25.6) | 169 (45.1) | 101 (53.5) | 267 (37.2) |  |
 Sideways | 56 (27.6) | 149 (39.7) | 39 (20.6) | 109 (15.2) |  |
Change in center of mass | |||||
 Stable | 24 (11.8) | 62 (16.5) | 44 (23.3) | 87 (12.1) | 0.125 |
 Vertical change | 25 (12.3) | 52 (13.9) | 24 (12.7) | 90 (12.6) |  |
 Horizontal change | 122 (60.1) | 180 (48.0) | 77 (40.7) | 387 (54.0) |  |
 Both changes | 32 (15.8) | 81 (21.6) | 44 (23.3) | 153 (21.3) |  |
Uneven floor (yes) | 103 (50.7) | 59 (15.7) | 41 (21.7) | 157 (21.9) | < 0.001 |
Hitting an object during the fall (yes) | 18 (8.9) | 25 (6.7) | 25 (13.2) | 121 (16.9) | 0.001 |
Protective response during the fall (yes) | 25 (12.3) | 54 (14.4) | 19 (10.1) | 69 (9.6) | 0.112 |