A lot of people enjoy walking their dogs. It's a nice way to get some steps in . . . it gives you a chance to get out and see what's happening in the neighborhood . . . or it might be just be an opportunity to clear your head.
But it can also be SUPER DANGEROUS. (???)
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University released the results of a study . . . where they found that the number of dog-walking injuries has quadrupled in the past 20 years . . . and over two decades, 422,000 people have gone to the emergency room after being hurt walking their dogs.
Women . . . and people ages 40 to 64 . . . made up most of the patients.
The most common injuries were finger fractures . . . traumatic brain injuries . . . and shoulder sprains and strains.
And some tips to make dog-walking safer include: Shorter leashes to avoid tripping on them . . . avoiding places where a dog is known to be distracted . . . and using front-attaching harnesses to help keep the dog from pulling.
(NIH / Washington Post)