Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2010, Crutches, Canes Or Walkers ranks #7 of 838 by danger score (52/100) at ER-volume #85 of 838 (100,182/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #7
- danger rank of 838
- #85
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 52/100
- danger score
- 100,182/yr
- estimated ER visits (avg)
Danger score combines injury volume, hospitalization, fatality, and five-year trend. ER volume is the average annual NEISS estimate alone. Rank 1 is highest on each list.
Where this category's danger score sits nationally
Danger score (52/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
52 Higher than most more dangerous than 99% of 838 product categories
scored CPSC product categories, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more product categories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source CPSC NEISS, PlainSafety danger-score model · 2010
Composite verdict
Composite Safety Score: 76/100
One verdict blending 3 independently-sourced dimensions from two separate CPSC systems, each benchmarked against all 838 scored product categories by percentile rather than raw value, so no single huge-volume category can dominate the scale.
| Dimension | Value | National percentile | Weight applied | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injury severity (hospitalization + fatality blend) | 28 | 98th | 41% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 100,182 | 100th | 35% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | N/A | N/A | redistributed | CPSC NEISS 5-year % change in ER-treated injuries |
| Consumer incident reports | 0 | 0th | 24% | CPSC SaferProducts.gov public incident report count |
5-year injury trend has no recorded value for this category; its weight was redistributed proportionally across the dimensions that do, rather than treated as zero risk.
Methodology: each dimension is ranked against the full population's p10/p25/p50/p75/p90 breakpoints and interpolated to a 0-100 percentile; the composite is the weighted average of available percentiles. See methodology for the full benchmark table.
Where 601,091 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 1706. Segments sum to 601,091 - a body-map mix, not a danger score or ER-volume rank.
Two danger lenses
Same-group peer scores and this product's dial
The bars compare PlainSafety danger scores inside the Home Medical & Assistance Devices group (same CPSC NEISS extract). The dial is this product's score alone on the Low/Moderate/High bands. Do not read a peer bar as an ER-visit count.
Home Medical & Assistance Devices danger scores
How this 52/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for crutches, canes or walkers - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 100,182 ER visits/yr Very high volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 27.4% Very high admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.02% Low fatality rate
- 5-year trendN/A
Band labels compare this category against the corpus of 838 scored CPSC product categories, see the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Across the 6-year NEISS window from 2005 to 2010, injury counts for crutches, canes or walkers are stable over the most recent five-year window, with the busiest year on record being 2010 (133,527 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2005 (81,205 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is fracture to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 82,805 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by internal injury to the head (48,161 cases). The 75+ age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 395,492 cases over the NEISS window, and females appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 27.4% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.02%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 0 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how crutches, canes or walkers fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2010-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2010)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 662 | 327 | |
| 5-14 | 2,919 | 4,104 | |
| 15-24 | 4,254 | 3,311 | |
| 25-34 | 5,454 | 5,358 | |
| 35-44 | 8,987 | 10,162 | |
| 45-54 | 15,498 | 18,361 | |
| 55-64 | 18,965 | 31,806 | |
| 65-74 | 24,036 | 51,380 | |
| 75+ | 98,769 | 296,676 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Trunk | Fracture | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Lower Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Head | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Knee | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Upper Trunk | Fracture | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Upper Leg | Fracture | |
| Upper Arm | Fracture |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
94 YR OLD FEMALE CAUGHT LEG OF WALKER IN A BLANKET AND FELL ON FLOORAT HOME INJURING LEG DX: RIGHT FEMUR FRACTURE
89 YR OLD FEMALE TRIPPED ON WALKER AND FELL STRIKING HEAD ON FLOORDX: LACERATION TO SCALP
96 Y/O F FELL USING WALKERFX HUMERUS
84YOF FRACTURED HIP PT USING WALKER FOUND ON SIDE IN HALLWAY AT ASSISTED LIVING HOME*
80 YOF FELL OVER HER WALKER AND LANDED ON HER BACK. DX: CONTUSION TORIBS
SCALP CT-63YOM WENT TO GRAB HIS WALKER THAT HAD WHEELS ON IT AND ITSLIPPED AWAY AND HE FELL AT THE NURSING HOME
87YFC BENDING OVER WALKER HITTING HEAD ON NIGHTSTAND/LACERATION
72 YOF WAS AMBULATING WITH WALKER - LOST BALANCE; FELL TO FLOOR. FRACTURE, RIGHT LOWER LEG
56 YO M AMBULATING WITH A CANE WHEN OCD BEGAN KICKING IN AND PT BEGANWALKING TOO QUICKLY. HAD TWO FALLS. DX:LIP LACREATION.
80 Y/O/F TRIPPED / FELL OVER WALKER IN THE BATHROOMDX: SHOULDER CONTUSION
PT WAS CARRING HER PARROT IN ONE HAND AND HER WALKING CANE IN THEOTHER HAND, TRIPPED AND FELL, DX: SHOULDER CONTUSION
86 YOF BIBA FROM ADULT DAY CARE, FELL WHILE PUSHING WALKER SUSTAININGABDOMINAL CONTUSION
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to crutches, canes or walkers on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Home Medical & Assistance Devices
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Crutches, Canes Or Walkers: cross-group products nearest on danger score (52/100), estimated annual ER visits (100,182/yr), and hospitalization share (27.4%). Same-group neighbours stay in Related Products above.
Similar danger score
Nearest cross-group products by PlainSafety danger score (100-point scale).
Similar ER visit volume
Nearest cross-group products by NEISS estimated annual ER visits.
Similar hospitalization rate
Nearest cross-group products by % of NEISS ER visits resulting in hospital admission.
- Multi-purpose Lighters, Not Specified Personal Care & Safety Products 27.6%admitted
- Shuffleboard (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) Sports Protective Equipment & Gear 26.4%admitted
- Scales, Electric/battery Operated (exclud. Baby Scales) Floors, Walls & Ceilings 26.3%admitted
- Portable Gas Or Lp Heaters Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares 26.2%admitted
Related Products in Home Medical & Assistance Devices
Read with this product
About this data
CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports form the basis of this page. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments.
According to PlainSafety's CPSC NEISS corpus ranking, Crutches, Canes Or Walkers ranks #7 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #85 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does crutches, canes or walkers rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, crutches, canes or walkers ranks #7 by PlainSafety danger score (52/100) and #85 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (100,182/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from crutches, canes or walkers?
The most common injury is fracture to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 82,805 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from crutches, canes or walkers increasing or decreasing?
No trend data.
Who is most at risk for crutches, canes or walkers injuries?
The 75+ age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 395,492 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by crutches, canes or walkers?
Of all ER visits involving crutches, canes or walkers, approximately 27.4% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (72.6%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with crutches, canes or walkers?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
PlainSafety is rendered directly from U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall and incident records, no number is typed in by an editor. Product recall timelines and hazard labels are drawn from CPSC recall records for this product. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.