The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, or ACFAS said they have discovered an alarming increase in traumatic foot and ankle injuries among patients who have survived motoring accidents since 1998- when dual front airbags became standard equipment on new cars.
According to a federally conducted report, drivers in airbag equipped vehicles suffer over 17,600 injuries to their lower extremities every year- with one third of these being to the foot and ankle. The ACFAS blames these statistics on airbags. Perhaps automakers designing safety into the structures of their vehicles are more concerned with protecting the vital upper parts of occupant's bodies. Though foot and ankle injuries may not be life threatening, they are a serious and painful inconvenience. Treatment often requires a barrage of screws, plates, casts, and surgeries- not to mention countless months or even years of intense rehabilitation and physical therapy. "We see trauma we never saw before," says ACFAS President James L. Thomas. "A decade ago, these patients would have died from head trauma or other upper body injuries. Now, thanks to seat belts and air bags, they survive."Several companies are developing airbags which act as a safety blanket over the feet and ankles during a crash, while still others already employ airbags or other safety devices to protect parts of the occupant's lower body in an impact situation.The ACFAS is currently discussing less invasive ways to treat patients with lower extremity injuries in order to get them fully recovered in less time.
photo: Volvo