新奇事件簿 老年人遛狗应谨慎（在线收听）

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 aged 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 density - the risks associated with walking leashed dogs merit consideration." They added: "Even one injury could result in a potentially lethal hip fracture, lifelong complications, or the loss of their independence." Lead researcher Dr Jaimo Ahn blamed what he termed as a "small person/big dog" scenario 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。”