When it comes to taking risks with your health or safety (or that of your loved ones), don’t let a low likelihood of a bad outcome cloud your judgment.
“Emergency medicine gives you a unique perspective on rare events because we see them all the time,” says Christine DeSanno, D.O., the chief of the emergency department at NYU Langone Hospital—Suffolk. “Just because the risk of something is 1% doesn’t mean it won’t happen — it means someone is going to be that 1%. When the downside is severe, even a small risk can be a big deal.”
That said, “we all have to leave the house,” says Kerri Layman, M.D., the chair of emergency medicine at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. “I’d just prefer people take calculated risks. For example, if you love riding horses or skiing, there is always risk, but there are so many rewards both mentally and physically: Wear a helmet and don’t go alone. If you love weight lifting, use a spotter and don’t lift more than what is safe.”
However, for some activities, like the ones listed below, the risk is too great to justify any reward. According to emergency medicine physicians at the top of their field, these are the habits you should stop doing right away.
Using bikes, scooters, ATVs and motorcycles without helmets
Every single physician we consulted for this story agreed on this one. “I’ve seen far too many preventable head injuries in the emergency department,” says Dr. DeSanno. “Helmets reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury, which can be life-altering or fatal. Even a short, local ride can turn dangerous in an instant.”
If you’re a parent, remember that your children are watching (and imitating) everything you do. “The number one thing that predicts whether children and adolescents wear a helmet or not is if their parents wear a helmet,” says Dr. Fairbrother. “So do your kids a favor, put on a helmet, and protect yourself and the ones around you.”
Riding in cars without proper restraints
There’s no way around it — seatbelts save lives. “Over 2.6 million people visit the ER each year due to an injury that they sustained while in a car,” says Dr. Fairbrother. “Riding in a car without a seat belt, having more people in a car than there are seat belts, having an arm out of an open window or placing legs up on a dashboard also increases the incident of severe injury when there is an accident.”
Children’s smaller bodies are especially susceptible to injuries in a car crash, which makes car seats that are properly positioned and appropriately sized nonnegotiable for them. According to the CDC, more than 106,000 kids ages 12 and younger who were riding in a motor vehicle were injured in a crash in 2022. Of those, 599 children died and 35% of the kids who were killed were not buckled up. “Putting your child in the appropriate car seat or booster decreases the chance of injury,” says Dr. Fairbrother.
Using your phone while driving or walking
“This can and does lead to many accidents,” says Gregory Sugalski, M.D., M.B.A., the chair of the emergency department at Hackensack University Medical Center. Think about it: If it takes you 5 seconds to read or respond to a text and you’re going 55mph, you’re going to travel the length of a football field without your eyes on the road, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. You may think you’re fine to walk and text because you’re not going as fast, but if you’re not paying attention you can easily stumble down stairs, miss a changing traffic light or run into someone or something.
Getting cosmetic procedures without a doctor’s supervision
With lower prices and shorter wait times than your dermatologist’s office, medspas offering seemingly simple cosmetic procedures can be enticing. Unfortunately, they don’t always have a doctor onsite overlooking potentially risky procedures. “Some can be disfiguring, cause infections and/or temporary paralysis,” says Dr. Layman.
Cutting food carelessly
If there’s a knife in your hand, slow down, make sure nothing except food is in the plane where it can cut and don’t take your eyes away from what you’re cutting. Dr. Sugalski says bagels are a big culprit for accidental hand slicing. Avocados are another one, but it’s smart to be cautious no matter what food you’re prepping.
Making risky decisions on ladders
It’s a busy time of year for tree pruning, gutter cleaning, painting and other home-improvement chores. Don’t ignore ladder safety in the process. “Falls from ladders are a common cause of fractures, head injuries and sprains,” says Dr. Sugalski. Before you start climbing, the American Ladder Institute advises putting slip-resistant shoes on, inspecting the ladder for damage, ensuring it’s not too windy out and setting up the ladder on firm, level ground. Then, keep three points of contact on the ladder at all times (such as two feet and one hand).
Skipping preventive health checkups
“The only way to treat something many times is by finding it early,” says Dr. Layman. “We are not invincible.” If you don’t have a primary care provider, it’s time to find one. Most health insurance plans cover at least one checkup every year, but your doctor can let you know if you should be seen more often. They can also advise you on cancer screenings, immunizations, cardiovascular tests, mental health check-ins and much more. Plus, if you are diagnosed with something serious later on, it’s nice to have a doctor who is already familiar with your medical history.
Taking supplements before you talk to your doctor
This is especially true for supplements that are intended to help you lose weight or gain muscle. “Many can cause liver and kidney damage,” says Dr. Layman. Even innocuous-sounding things like green tea extract can hurt your liver in certain instances. Other supplements may interact with medications you’re already taking, so it’s always smart to run things by your physician before you add them to your regimen.
Discontinuing meds without your doctor’s approval
This goes for any medicine, but Dr. Layman says it’s especially important in regard to blood pressure medication — even if you feel fine. “High blood pressure is a silent disease and left unchecked leads to heart damage, strokes, kidney damage and more,” she says. In cases where a medicine is truly no longer needed, a doctor can guide you in stopping it safely (by tapering doses, for instance).
Not learning CPR
When someone’s heart stops, no matter how quickly you call 911, it’s going to take a few minutes for emergency medical professionals to arrive. “CPR at the time that a patient suffers a cardiac arrest doubles and even triples patient survival rates,” says Dr. Fairbrother. “In the first few minutes, before help arrives, the odds of survival drop quickly. Most cardiac arrests occur at home, so by keeping up to date with basic CPR skills you are more likely to be ready when your family or friends need it.” Visit cpr.heart.org or redcross.org or reach out to local organizations to see if there are CPR classes you can take. “Being ready to perform CPR effectively, you protect your community and loved ones,” says Dr. Fairbrother.
Smoking
You hear it over and over again for good reason: If you smoke, it’s time to quit. “There’s no safe amount of smoking,” says Dr. DeSanno. “Tobacco use is linked to cancer, heart disease, stroke and chronic lung conditions — and those are just the major ones. It’s never too late to quit, and doing so significantly improves your long-term health.” Not sure where to start? The CDC recommends calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), texting QUITNOW to 333888 or downloading quitSTARTapp to your smartphone.
Letting kids play in/around bodies of water without direct supervision
“Pools can be very fun and are an important part of playing outside during the summer, but they are also one of the most dangerous parts of our community,” says Hilary Fairbrother, M.D., a professor of emergency medicine at UTHealth Houston. “Drowning is the number one cause of death in children 1 to 4 years old and the second leading cause of injury-related death in children 5 to 14 years old. If your child cannot swim well, they should never be allowed to be in or around a pool without an adult in the pool with them. Even children who are proficient swimmers need to be supervised while playing in a pool, as an injury like a head injury could cause a child who can swim to be at risk for drowning.” It’s also worth noting that alcohol and/or drugs and pools, lakes, rivers or hot tubs don’t mix for anyone no matter their age.
Jumping on a trampoline
Yes, trampolines are super fun, but when Dr. Sugalski hears one of his four kids is invited to a party with a trampoline, his first thought is Ugh, can we not go? He refers to them as “broken bone factories” and says he sees patients in the emergency department with fractures, dislocations, spinal injuries and even head injuries from trampolines. It’s not just his hospital — one study found that fractures from trampolines increased 3.9% from 2008 to 2017, an increase that is likely due to the rising popularity of trampoline parks.
Petting unfamiliar animals
Even if your toddler begs to pet that adorably soft dog you just encountered in the park, it’s best to hold them back. You never know how an animal will react to someone new, and the danger is even greater with unsupervised animals. “It seems innocent or even cute, but stray and wild animals can carry diseases like rabies, parasites or bacteria that lead to serious infections,” says Dr. DeSanno. “They may also become aggressive unpredictably. It’s just not worth the risk.”
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