From 2001 to 2020, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) were the second most prevalent injury among individuals treated in U.S. emergency departments for injuries connected to walking a leashed dog, according to Johns Hopkins University researchers. The researchers also discovered that women aged 65 and older were more likely than other demographic groups to incur major injuries such as fractures and TBIs. The study was published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

"According to a 2021-2022 national pet ownership survey, nearly 53 per cent of U.S. households own at least one dog," says Ridge Maxson, the study's first author and a third-year medical student at The Johns Hopkins University. "Dog ownership also increased significantly in recent years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although dog walking is a common daily activity for many adults, few studies have characterized its injury burden. We saw a need for more comprehensive information about these kinds of incidents."