新奇事件簿 老年人遛狗应谨慎

It once seemed common sense to believe that having and walking a dog was good for older people. Dogs are great companions and provide a healthy excuse to go for a walk and get a bit of exercise. However, new research shows that taking the dog for a walk can have its downsides for seniors. A report published in the American medical journal 'JAMA Surgery' says injuries among seniors related to dog-walking are becoming increasingly prevalent. From 2004 to 2017, researchers calculated that there were over 32,000 cases of people in the USA aged¹ 65 and over suffering fractures attributed to walking their dog. Some of the injuries were serious and required the senior to undergo emergency surgery.

大家似乎曾普遍认为养狗和遛狗有利老年人健康。狗狗是很好的陪伴者，为散步提供了一个健康的借口还能稍微运动一下。但新研究发现，对老年人而言，遛狗也有不利的一面。发表于美国医学杂志《JAMA Surgery》的一篇报道称有越来越多的老年人因遛狗而受伤。自2004年到2017年，研究人员总结得出在美国，65岁及以上的老年人因遛狗而骨折的案例超过了32000起。其中一些老年人伤情严重且需要进行急诊外科。

The researchers advised the elderly to consider the possible dangers to owning and walking a dog. They said: "For older adults - especially those living alone and with decreased bone mineral density² - the risks associated with walking leashed dogs merit consideration." They added: "Even one injury could result in a potentially lethal³ hip⁴ fracture, lifelong complications, or the loss of their independence." Lead researcher Dr Jaimo Ahn blamed what he termed as a "small person/big dog" scenario⁵ for many of the accidents. He said a dog is sometimes mismatched with its owner's inability and strength to handle it. One elderly dog owner said: "Old people need dogs. We need our soul mates."

研究人员建议年长者考虑养狗和遛狗的可能危险。他们说道：“对老年人而言—尤其是那些独居且骨密度下降的老年人—应该考虑牵着遛狗绳遛狗的风险。”他们还说：“即便是一次受伤都可能导致潜在的致命髋部骨折、终生并发症或是丧失自理能力。”领导研究员Jaimo Ahn博士指责被他称为“小人/大狗”的场面造成了众多事故。他表示狗狗有时候并不匹配主人应付它们的能力和力量。一位年迈的狗主人表示：“老年人需要狗。我们需要我们的灵魂伴侣。”

1 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

2 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

3 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

4 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

5 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。