Did you know that 63% of people prefer eating side dishes over turkey for Thanksgiving dinner?
Did you know that Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days of the year for emergency rooms?
According to AdventHealth, more than 36,000 people visit a local emergency room nationwide each year due to Thanksgiving injuries — and many more join them on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.
The bad news? That number will likely repeat itself, if not increase, in 2025.
The good news? A large majority of those Thanksgiving injuries are preventable.
“Getting the family together, people are excited, they’re not really thinking about what they’re doing,” said Dr. Bobby Lee, emergency room physician at Our Lady of Lourdes, according to “The Current.”
Before you know it, Grandma just spilled a boiling hot pot of gravy on her foot, your uncle fell because he had too much to drink and Dad just broke his ankle trying to keep up with the kids in a game of football.
It might sound like a scene from a National Lampoon’s movie, but this isn’t cinema — it’s real life.
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In 2016, Dr. Robert Glatter, an ER doctor at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, told ABC News that he was treating a routine laceration a woman received from slicing her finger while cooking.
When she got home, the woman called Glatter to let him know that she had misplaced her keys.
It wasn’t until after her family ate Thanksgiving dinner that they found her keys “baked deep inside thecenter of the turkey.” Parts of the keys had been melted — and much of the turkey had been eaten.
Luckily, none of her guests came down with food poisoning or stomach issues.
What are the five most common Thanksgiving injuries?
As the world prepares for another accident-prone Thanksgiving Day, one ER doctor is speaking up.
Dr. Reed Caldwell, the chief of service for the Ronald O. Perelman Center for Emergency Services at NYU Langone’s Tisch Hospital, has been working in the ER on Thanksgiving for the last 12 years.
While it’s often one of his busiest days of the year, he (like many ER doctors) is hoping to prevent that.
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In an essay, published by the New York Post on Nov. 10, Dr. Reed Caldwell broke down five of the most common injuries and holiday hazards that could have you going “from breaking bread to breaking bones.”
Here’s what we learned — and how to avoid the chaos this year.
5. Cuts and lacerations
Cuts and lacerations are two of the most common kitchen injuries, especially on Thanksgiving Day.
As Caldwell warns, many families are using sharp knives to carve the turkey (something they likely don’t do often) and are using a wide range of new tools (shredders and mandolines) they aren’t familiar with.
Add in the many distractions happening around them (guests, football) and you can see where things might go wrong.
“My recommendation is to read the instructions carefully and practice with them before you have all of your family in your home and may be more distracted while you’re cooking,” Caldwell said.
4. Burns
According to Caldwell, most burns happen on the face, hands, forearms and feet on Thanksgiving Day.
This can be due to spilling food and/or sauce (like gravy) on your skin, accidentally touching a pot or pan without using an oven mitt or not being careful enough when using a turkey fryer.
Improper use of kitchen appliances and turkey fires can also cause fires in or around the home.
“In the event of a minor burn, make sure to remove any clothing, jewelry, or debris and cool the affected area with room temperature or cool water,” Dr. Kingsley of AdventHealth said of burns on Thanksgiving.
“Avoid ice or ice-cold water as this can worsen the injury. Clean the wound with mild soap and tap water. Tylenol or Advil can be used for additional pain relief,” Kingsley continued.
Caldwell also urged families to wear appropriate protective gear and tough cooking mitts when necessary.
3. Orthopedic injuries
Most people associate Thanksgiving with food, but let’s not forget about Thanksgiving activities.
Whether you’re taking part in the local Turkey Trot or playing a game of pick-up football outside with the kids, it doesn’t take much to injure yourself — especially if you avoid physical activity the rest of the year.
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That’s why so many ERs treat sprains, fractures and other orthopedic injuries on Thanksgiving.
Caldwell’s two biggest pieces of advice are to always stretch before engaging in physical activity and “be mindful that your relatives have different physical capabilities and tolerances for stress.”
2. Head injuries
Caldwell also warns against slips, trips and falls, especially in areas that see a lot of snow and ice.
In addition to sprains, strains and fractures, falls are one of the most common causes of head injuries and concussions — especially when falling backwards or falling down a flight of stairs.
The older population is also at an increased risk of falls, even indoors.
To prevent this, Caldwell urges families to maintain a safe environment when welcoming guests into your home, be aware of slippery floors and loose rugs, and make sure you pick up any toys on the ground.
When guests arrive, always offer to help them out of the car and up (or down) any flights of stairs.
1. Ear, nose, throat and stomach issues
It’s easy to over-indulge during Thanksgiving dinner — and even easier to catch a flu or cold.
While the average American is directed to consume no more than 2,000 calories on a normal day, many of us tend to consume as much as 3,000 or 4,000 calories, if not more, on Thanksgiving Day.
“The result is that we consume more calories than we should and end up in the emergency room for upset stomach,” says Dr. Christopher Langan, an ER doctor at SignatureCare Emergency Center.
Dr. Langan urges families to eat smaller portions and avoid excessive amounts of sugar this holiday.
“High amounts of sodium may cause them to go into what we call heart failure,” he added. “It is important to be aware of what you are putting in your mouth, even when you are having fun.”
Caldwell also warns against choking hazards and family members who may have a respiratory illness.
Families can reduce this risk by washing hands frequently (especially when cooking) to avoid allergies and contamination, and making sure food is being stored properly and not being kept for too long.
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As always, Caldwell urges families to keep first aid supplies and basic medications on hand, just in case.
“Preparation is key to preventing a Thanksgiving trip to the ER. It’s better to spend time with your family and friends, focusing on thankfulness and cheer, than seeing me on your holiday,” he added.
