PUNE: A 16-year-old footballer riding a two-wheeler met with an accident after he failed to spot a waterlogged pothole last week, leaving him with a shinbone (tibia) fracture and a significant head injury. He had to be kept in ICU for three days and was advised plaster cast for the leg for six weeks.
In a similar case, a 45-year-old IT professional from Wakad lost his balance over a water-filled pothole while going to the office and twisted his ankle recently.
These two among many such cases depict the horror of the pothole-riddled roads in the city. Doctors said there has been over a 30% rise in the number of patients complaining of back-neck pain and compression or stress fractures because of bumpy stretches and potholed roads in the city this month alone.
Stress fractures are tiny cracks in a bone. They are caused by repetitive force, often from overuse — such as repeatedly jumping up and down or running long distances, besides conditions like osteoporosis.
“Two-wheeler riders over 40 years of age are among the worst affected. They usually suffer from chronic pain syndrome due to underlying spondylitis issues in the neck and the back region, which get flared up due to frequent riding on roads full of potholes,” said orthopaedic surgeon Dr Surendra Patil of the Polaris Hospital.
Low-velocity pothole-led compression fractures have badly affected the productivity of several individuals. “It might disturb a person’s emotional balance, curtailing productivity,” he said.
Children traveling to school by buses, vans or autorickshaws on bumpy roads are complaining of musculoskeletal disorders -- conditions affecting muscles, bones and joints. Similarly, driving over potholed roads increases the risk of miscarriages among women with a poor obstetric history, doctors said.
“In the last three weeks, we have seen a sudden steep rise in a number of such cases. In addition to stress fractures, a sizable number of two-wheeler riders, mainly young adults, are presenting with injuries on the wrist, elbow, head and knee, besides sprains owing to skidding and falls. We see around 4-7 such patients every day, which is around 30-40% rise compared to pre-monsoon months,” Dr Patil said.
