September 19, 2024
Last Updated: December 11, 2025
Medical Reviewer: Ryan McNeel, DC

Common Slip-and-Fall Injuries and What to Do When You Get Hurt

Sudden falls may seem like nothing more than an embarrassing accident. You likely want to shake it off and get right up – recover as if nothing happened. However, a slip-and-fall injury can be serious and cause lasting damage without the right medical treatment.

Keep reading to learn about common causes and types of slip-and-fall injuries, symptoms you may experience immediately and in the hours or days after an accident and the steps you should take to get the care you need.

What Are Some Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents?

Slip-and-fall accidents occur in people of all ages. Older adults are particularly at risk because of: 

• Bad shoes or footwear
• Foot pain
• Medications
• Trip hazards, such as broken steps, throw rugs and clutter
• Vision problems
• Walking and balance issues
• Weakness in their lower bodies

Falls are also common workplace injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Work-related falls are caused by a variety of factors, including: 

• Ladders in unsafe positions
• Slick floors covered in grease, water and other substances
• Trip hazards
• Uneven floors and wall surfaces
• Unprotected edges

What Are the Possible Injuries From Slips and Falls?

Not all slips and falls lead to an injury, but when they do, the injuries can range from mild to severe. Injuries may depend on your environment (for example, at work or home), the cause of the accident and personal factors like your weight, preexisting medical conditions and age. 

Common slip-and-fall injuries include:

• Broken bones, including arms, wrists, collarbones, hips and tailbones
• Broken ribs
• Cuts and bruises
• Spinal fractures
• Sprains and strains
• Traumatic brain injuries, such as concussions and skull fractures

Falls can also be fatal. In fact, in the U.S., falls are the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death, according to the National Safety Council. 

What Are Delayed Symptoms After a Fall?

If you’ve ever fallen, you likely know that they hurt. If you cut yourself or break a bone, you will likely feel pain immediately, but some symptoms can be delayed, appearing days or weeks to appear after a slip-and-fall accident. 

This is due, in part, to adrenaline. When you fall or experience another traumatic injury, your body often goes into a shock-like state due to increased stress. This stress prompts your body to release adrenaline, a hormone that helps you focus on the situation by masking pain. 

Over time, your adrenaline levels will decrease, and your brain will start picking up on pain signals. At this point, your injuries become more noticeable.

After a fall, watch for these symptoms in the immediate aftermath or in the days and weeks that follow: 

• Bruises: Bruises typically develop shortly after an injury, but they may first appear red before changing color in the days or weeks that follow. A painful, swollen bruise that appears within 30 minutes of an injury could be a sign of a severe sprain or broken bone.
• Inability to do daily activities: Sprains occur when ligaments stretch or tear. A sprained ankle can impact your walk, and wrist sprains can make it challenging to pick up, hold, throw, type or otherwise use your hand. 
• Chronic pain: Chronic pain – pain that lasts three months or longer – can develop after a variety of slip-and-fall injuries and severely impact your daily life, work and activities. Chronic pain is one of the most significant symptoms of an injury, which can affect the neck, shoulder or lower back.
• Dizziness, fogginess or other changes to your mental state: Concussions and other head injuries often cause symptoms that take a few hours to appear. If you develop headaches, faint or pass out, notice ringing in your ears, nausea, blurry vision or other concussion symptoms in the hours or days after a fall, see a medical professional as soon as possible.

What to Do After a Fall

Accidents can happen anywhere, anytime. Regardless of what caused the accident or where you were, follow these steps to ensure you get the care you need.

1. Seek Medical Attention

Many slip-and-fall symptoms can take a while to appear, so you may not know for sure whether you’ve sustained an injury unless you seek medical attention. When you’re certain it’s safe to move around, it’s important to get medical help.

If you feel like you can’t move or get help on your own, ask for assistance from those around you or call for emergency help. Either way, take things slow and only perform the bare minimum actions until you can receive a professional evaluation. 

2. Document and Report the Incident

If your fall occurs in a public space or at work, you should take the proper steps to document the accident and report the cause to the necessary people. Notifying your employer, the property owner or other people responsible for the area’s care can help reduce the chances that someone else slips and falls from the same hazard. Additionally, if you decide to take legal action for the incident, your documentation can support your case. 

3. Inspect the Area or Address the Problem

Whether your accident occurred at home, at work or in a public location, you should take time to inspect the area and address any problems that could have contributed to your accident. In some cases, this may mean picking up objects around your home, addressing a hardly noticeable spill or fixing structural issues, such as foundation cracks or broken stairs. Addressing the cause can prevent other slips, trips and falls in the future.

In Conclusion

Not every fall leads to severe injuries, but some can and they shouldn’t be dismissed. Slip-and-fall accidents can happen to anyone and are caused by workplace hazards or age-related changes to vision, balance and other factors. 

Slip-and-fall Injuries can range from mild cuts and bruises to severe broken bones, spinal fractures and concussions. Symptoms may not appear for hours or days, so seeking medical care, documenting your injury and addressing the cause (if possible) can go a long way to preventing complications of your injury. 

We understand that finding the right care after an accident can be challenging, but our team helps you navigate care, recovery and workers comp insurance if needed. Request an appointment at one of our convenient Florida locations. 

More about the Medical Reviewer of this Article

Ryan McNeel, DC

Clinical Director

Palm Bay, St. Cloud

Ryan McNeel, DC serves as a Clinic Director at Complete Care, where he provides ongoing support and guidance to chiropractic providers and helps oversee measures of clinical excellence across the clinics. Dr. McNeel’s extensive understanding of human anatomy and spinal mechanics allows him to create thorough evaluations and treatment plans that help patients return to daily activities with improved mobility and less discomfort. He is dedicated to delivering attentive, individualized care that supports every stage of recovery. 

Education 

• Bachelor of Science in Biology, University of Pittsburgh 
• Master’s Degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition, New York Chiropractic College 
• Doctor of Chiropractic, New York Chiropractic College 

Certifications 

• Licensed Chiropractic Physician, State of Florida