Doctors: Now The Riskiest Time Of Year For Broken Bones

INDIANAPOLIS -- Saturday's wintry storm could bring snow or freezing rain. But no matter what falls on central Indiana, emergency room doctors are bracing for a storm of a different kind.

"If we have an ice storm or significant amount of sleet, emergency departments around this city are going to be filled with people with broken bones," said Dr. Louis Profeta, of St. Vincent Hospital.

Profecta told Staying Healthy reporter Stacia Matthews that most of the patients treated for fractures and falls on ice are the elderly. And the majority of these accidents are close to patients’ homes.

"Many falls happen simply when people are out walking to get their mail in the morning or going for the newspaper,” said Dr. Jim Niven, of St. Vincent Hospital.

Stephanie McDermott landed in the hospital two years ago after a fall. During an interview with 6News that winter, McDermott recalled she was no match for ice on her driveway.

"I looked down and I couldn't move my leg. My ankle was twisted 45 degrees. My foot was hanging off and I had a large bulge in my shin,” McDermott said.

McDermott lived to tell about her accident, but some patients don’t.

"Everybody nowadays is on Plavix and aspirin and blood thinners. A simple fall or the bump of the head sometimes can have catastrophic events and consequences,” Niven said.

That's why Niven and Profecta teamed up to create the “Emergency Room Advice, Safety and Education Project,” or ERase.

The emergency room physicians partnered with the city of Indianapolis, Brightpoint and Starbucks Coffee to bag salt to limit and prevent the number of emergency room visits related to falls on ice during the winter season.

"If we can prevent one, then we've done our job," Profecta said.

Volunteers will stuff rock salt into about 5,000 bags Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. in the St. Vincent ambulance bay.

The bags will be offered free to the public. Doctors encourage people to pick up several bags -- one to sprinkle on steps, walkways and driveways; one to keep in a vehicle in the event of an emergency; and one to give to an elderly neighbor.

ERase is celebrating its 10th anniversary. To date, the group has distributed more than 100,000 tons of rock salt.

Source: http://www.theindychannel.com/health/14858274/detail.html