Global trends and cross-country inequalities in spinal cord injury attributable to falls: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Summary: Falls are the number one cause of spinal cord injuries worldwide. A massive new study looked at health data from 204 countries over 30 years to see who is getting hurt. The good news is that wealthier countries are seeing fewer of these severe injuries. The bad news? Poorer and middle-income countries are seeing a big increase, mostly because populations are growing and aging. The gap between rich and poor countries is getting wider every year. Experts warn that we urgently need better fall prevention programs globally, as these life-changing injuries are expected to keep rising through the year 2035.