In these health headlines, a new study finds each year, thousands of elderly Americans end up in emergency rooms from falls involving walkers and canes.
An average of about 130 Americans ages 65 and older were treated in the ER each day, a total of more than 47,000 a year, for injuries from falls caused by their walking aids.
Eighty-seven percent of the injuries were caused by walkers.
Of those hurt, older women were hurt three times more than men.
Researchers say this study should act as a reminder to doctors who need to be sure they take the proper amount of time to fit patients with walking aids and teach them how to use them safely.
Also making health headlines, several reports out provide new insight into the H1N1 swine flu virus that is currently circulating around the globe.
Research from Mexico confirms that young people - including those with no health problems - are at greater risk for serious complications and even death.
The new swine flu virus has infected at least 1 million Americans, according to the latest estimates from the CDC.
Thankfully, most cases are mild, but reports on patients in Mexico confirm this new virus behaves more like a pandemic strain than a typical flu.
Doctors studying Mexican patients found that 87 percent of deaths were in younger people, between the ages of 5 and 59 years. In contrast, just 17 percent of typical flu deaths are in this age group.
Researchers conclude that if supplies of pandemic vaccine turn out to be limited, then priority should be given to younger generations.
