Genital injuries in US send thousands to hospitals each year

Washington, Nov 10 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Showing someone getting hit in the groin is a way to get laughs in American movies and television shows, but it’s no laughing matter. Genital injuries are painful and they send thousands of adults in the US to the hospital every year.

According to a study published this week by the Journal of Urology, nearly 16,000 adults in the US have genital injuries each year that are caused by sports equipment, shaving, zippers, and sex toys.

“While all of the studies into genitourinary trauma (in the past) involved things like car accidents or pedestrians getting hit by cars, the more minor things haven’t been looked at,” Benjamin Breyer, a senior author of the study told ABC News.

The research surveyed hospital reports of genital injuries from 2002 to 2010 that were caused by consumer products or household mishaps.

Over the nine-year period, more than 142,000 adults were brought to hospitals with genital injuries caused by consumer products, such as bicycles or clothing. Men between the ages of 18 to 28 sustained these injuries most frequently.

Adults were most likely to hurt themselves in sporting mishaps, particularly on bicycles. A large number of men also reported injuries caused by the zippers of their pants, the study said.

Breyer told ABC News that he was most surprised by how many injuries happened in bathrooms, such as slipping in the shower, hot water burns, or toilet seat-related accidents.

Younger patients, and women in particular, experienced “a lot of grooming injuries, lacerations, things like that”, Breyer said.

Adults over 65, however, were more likely to sustain genital injuries through falls, the research said.

Breyer said the findings can be used to develop programmes that could help prevent genital injuries.

—IANS/RIA Novosti

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IANS 2012-11-10 15:22:15