Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, broke his ribs and numerous facial bones while exercising on New Year’s Day. Reid was exercising at his home when a resistance band he was using suddenly snapped, causing him to fall. He was rushed to the hospital and kept overnight. Doctors discovered he had broken ribs and broken bones in his face, but they expect him to make a full recovery, NBC News reports.
His office issued the following statement: “Senator Reid was first brought to St. Rose Dominican Hospital in Henderson by his security detail. He was then transferred to UMC for further testing, where he was admitted overnight as a precaution.”
While severe injuries during routine at-home exercise may seem rare, some might be surprised to know that falls stemming from various situations are a leading cause of death from at-home injuries. Seniors like Reid are particularly at risk.
Exercise equipment can cause severe injuries and even death from falls, especially if the equipment malfunctions as it did in Reid’s case. Children are at a higher risk of getting injured from exercise equipment than are adults, however. In fact, 25,000 children per year are hurt by exercise equipment. In 2009, boxer Mike Tyson lost his young daughter after she was killed while playing near a treadmill.
According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, a whopping 50,000 people per year, nationally, are seen in the emergency room with health problems related to exercise equipment. That number may take some people by surprise, but even seemingly innocuous fitness items can be a culprit in such traumas. In fact, exercise balls, which are large, bouncy objects people can sit, balance or stretch on, were cited as significant contributor to exercise related at-home injuries.
While broken ribs and facial bones are certainly no picnic for Harry Reid, it does not seem likely that he will view the accident as anything more than a nuisance. He is expected to return to work sometime over this coming weekend, and to be present on Tuesday during preparations for the Senate to reconvene.
Image credit: Practicalpedal.com