An investigation of underfoot accidents in a MAIM database

Underfoot accidents taken from a study of patient interviews have been anal ysed to investigate factors that may be implicated in the causes of the acc idents. Within the sample of patients in this study women holding items are more at risk than men from underfoot accidents. Carrying items such as sho pping and handbags may obstruct the line of sight to underfoot hazards, aff ect balance and adversely affect reflex corporal movements that may help pr event injury. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.