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There’s an old theory floating around that some people are more prone to accidents than others. It’s called accident proneness, and experts tend to agree that about 20% of the people have most accidents, while the remaining 80% virtually have none.
Today, we’re putting this theory to the test with stories of people who suffered injuries in the most silly ways possible. Scroll down to find them below, and don’t forget to upvote the ones that got a visceral reaction from you.
While you're at it, make sure to check out a conversation with a social psychologist and personal trainer, Jennifer Fidder, and a certified triathlon coach, Kristen Hislop, who kindly agreed to share some advice on how we can avoid injuries and accidents in our everyday lives.
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#1
I'm a landscaper and I got two black eyes bc I accidentally stepped on a rake and it hit me in the face, I thought that only happened in cartoons.
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#3
Broke my nose in a judo competition ❌ Broke my nose walking up the steps to collect my trophy for winning the judo competition ✅
Social psychologist and personal trainer Jennifer Fidder says that, in general, people who are less flexible and lack muscle strength and balance are more prone to injuries.
In a workout context, mistakes that often lead to accidents, especially with beginners, include improper form and choosing a weight that is too heavy.
"It’s important to first get familiar with an exercise and practice proper form before increasing resistance. Skipping the warm-up and jumping straight into heavy weights can also lead to injuries, particularly around the shoulder area," Fidder explains.
#4
I dislocated my kneecap while sitting and NOT MOVING. I had to show it to 15 doctors, replicate my NONEXISTENT movement and SOMEHOW dislocated my other one.
#5
Turned one quarter of an inch, pinched my sciatic nerve, fell, and ate my gaming desk knocking out two teeth and giving myself a concussion. All because I wanted a Capri sun.
Certified triathlon coach Kristen Hislop stresses that weakness is a huge trigger for injuries. "I tell my high school athletes that if you can't balance on one leg for 10 seconds after the age of 60, you've lost ten years off your life. They always need to do research and then tell me I am correct. If you can't balance on one foot, you are more likely to fall. As we age, falls can cause breaks and worse."
She adds that doing too much too soon and our imbalances can also contribute to injury proneness.
"We are born pretty perfect. As we go through life, we have injuries and learn patterns of movement that create imbalances. Our bodies are incredibly adept at compensating. So while we might come back to activity, we are not moving as we should. As we add more and more small injuries, they really start to compound," Hislop explains.
#8
Broke an arm, AFTER I went to get the cast removed I came home and fell over something, straight back in... IT WAS STILL THE SAME SHIFT.... I broke the other arm doc was like "Girl I JUST took a cast off you?!"
#9
Gave myself a black eye trying to weigh my suitcase... the handle snapped and my clenched fist from holding it, sprung back into my own face 😂
Another thing that is important to know to avoid accidents is that injuries can happen at any age.
"Younger bodies are often more forgiving and generally more flexible, but that doesn’t mean they are immune to injuries. Their healing process tends to be faster, though, largely due to better blood flow, which supports tissue repair. Higher levels of growth hormones and stronger immune systems are additional factors that contribute to quicker recovery from wounds and injuries," Fidder says.
#12
My husband split his chin open trying to impress me by doing the worm when we were dating. Safe to say the er visit only made us grow closer 😂
"Kids who are growing and going through puberty are at high risk for injury. Bones grow faster than tendons and ligaments, which can create true aches and pains. Kids have a tendency to want to go from zero to 60, and while they may not be sore, this can result in injuries. Kids also don't want to talk about something hurting, fearing that they might be pulled from a game," notes Hislop.
"On the flip side, injuries are incredibly common for older adults. Our healthcare system focuses on disease and fixing something afterwards. My son just graduated from the University at Buffalo with a Physical Therapy doctorate. At graduation, they encouraged the grads to go out and focus on health versus disease. We'd all be better off if we focused on doing more and doing it better. We should focus on being strong, lifting weights, working on balance, and working on any imbalances."
#14
Kicked a soccer ball too hard fell back broken three of my fingers and got a concussion. Doctor came in and said “banged your noggin?” I thought he was introducing himself and questioned him, “what dr dangernoggin?” Instant diagnosis.
#15
2 weeks ago I sprained my knee because my legs were criss cross apple sauce and my fat cat laid on my lap.
Something else we can do to reduce our risk of injuries is to be proactive and work on our balance and strength on a daily/weekly basis, says Hislop.
"There are so many little things we can do. Stand on one foot while cooking. Start with your less dominant side (or the injured side in the past). Park further at the grocery store and carry your bags to the car while working on great posture. Walk up and down stairs every day (without holding the railing). Sit on the floor and stand up without using your arms," she further suggests.
"This may not be possible today, but these can be goals to work towards. Never use age as an excuse. You can always get stronger and have better balance. It takes work, but the benefits are HUGE! I do think about how I want to age - what do I want to be able to do. If you travel the world, there are many areas where people old and young, move well without injury because they move more often and lift heavy things."
#16
I was holding a crate of potatoes and bent over and sneezed, now I have two herniated discs in my back, no function of my bladder or bowels, severe pain, numbness, the list goes on and on.
#17
My dog got out so I took my truck to go catch her. I got out of the truck to get her and forgot to put it in park. Truck dragged me 5 houses down the road. Gave myself 3rd degree burns down my legs. I did get the dog.😂
#18
My husband broke his pinky toe right off the bone while doing a twirl to I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston :)
"The more muscle mass we have, the better our bones and organs are protected," Fidder summarizes.
"Muscles essentially act as a cushion. Muscle also plays a key role in stability, posture, and overall functional movement. As we age, improving balance and flexibility becomes just as important for preventing falls and maintaining overall stability. That’s why a proper strength training routine, combined with balance exercises and flexibility training, is crucial for reducing the risk of injuries."
#19
My ex laid on the floor to pet our cat, sneezed and got stuck in some kind of hunchback of Notre Dame position. I had to help her get to the toilet for weeks.
#20
I dislocated my entire knee while i was asleep and went to physical therapy for a year and a half for it 🙂
#21
My Guinea pig bit my toe. I was on heavy duty painkillers, antibiotics and crutches, with an infected big toe.
#22
Went to kick a cat toy, missed, legs go flying up, body goes crashing downwards, landed directly on my wrist trying to catch myself. Completely broke radius, fractured ulna. Dr takes one look at the xray and says “Girl, you fell HARD.”
#23
I accidentally inhaled a fly, it remained in my nose, alive, for hours. Had to go to the hospital for a came down my nose and get it removed.
#24
I used to work at the Cheesecake Factory and when I was cutting bread for a table one day I cut my hand bad on a pointy shard of bread… not the gigantic bread knife, but the bread itself 🤦🏼♀️
#27
I once gave myself a concussion by sneezing in my sleep and hitting my head on the cinder block wall of my dorm the morning of midterms. And it was the best I ever did on my major exams.
#28
I threw my back out for a month picking up a cucumber I dropped when putting away the groceries. I couldn’t walk, excruciating pain, missed a vacation.
#29
I hit my elbow in class when I was 14. I fainted, and hit my head on the table behind me. I woke up in a puddle of blood and there was pieces of teeth in my mouth. I had to go to the hospital for stitches on my forehead, and I had 2 teeth infections because of the impact. I still have to go to the dentist because of that 7 years later.
#32
I broke my arm in the dryer cause the mechanism that stops the dryer from spinning when you open the door didn't work. I put my hand in it thinking it'd stop. a queen sized comforter wrapped around my wrist and twisted till it snapped.
#34
Stubbed my toe on an oil heater which caused a wound that infected my whole leg and couldn’t walk for 10 days because it kept getting infected. First day out in the real world again and I broke my front tooth taking nurofen FOR MY TOE.
#36
I was yawning and stretched at the same time and pulled a muscle in my throat. Could barely swallow anything for a week.
#37
Fractured my ankle whilst walking- not running just walking. Also dislocated a disc in my back when I was a teenager because I turned around to talk back to my mum- I say it was karma from being a brat😂
#38
I got frostbite and the tip of my finger fell off… it was summer and no doctor could diagnose me then it just shriveled into a raisin and fell off, it was excruciating.
#40
I got a stab wound from a knife while in 1st grade bc i was dancing and tripped on an open dishwasher in my grandma’s kitchen.
#42
Playing hide n go seak and I was hiding under some cupboards/shelves. The person found me but scared me so bad I jumped up, rammed my head into the corner of the cupboard and cracked my skull 💀😭
#43
Walked into a wall and got a concussion. And had to be driven to the hospital in Halloween makeup... which does not go away with water. I was Jeff the killer.
#45
I crushed my nerves in my thumb because I put it on the back of a shoe trying to put my feet in the shoe and I fell with it still inside and crushed it 😊 1 year paralysis. The beginning of intense problems yeah 😎
#46
I have a scar on my eyebrow from burning myself of a grain of rice that leapt out the pan as I was frying it.
#47
Omg I cut myself on a chocolate CAKE!! The cake had a cardboard collar in which liquid icing had been poured and had set, unfortunately it made a sharp edge and when I took the collar off it sliced my entire palm 😖
#49
I tore my knee ligament just dancing in my room and my knee cap popped out- had to go to school the next day with a brace and LIE.
#50
broke two toes trying to scooch a chair in and sat down full force (im quite solid) not realizing my foot was directly under the chair leg 🙃
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