The best indicator of personal risk is whether you have fallen much before. Accident proneness is a slightly controversial area among stair-injury epidemiologists, but it does seem to be a reality. About four persons in ten injured in a stair fall have been injured in a stair fall before.
The concept of personal risk, particularly in relation to stair falls, is highlighted by the notion that past experiences of falling significantly predict future accidents. Research in the field indicates that individuals who have previously suffered stair-related injuries are at a higher risk of experiencing similar incidents, suggesting a pattern of accident proneness. This idea, while somewhat debated among experts, has been supported by statistics showing that nearly 40% of individuals...
