Minor head injuries are common in people of all ages and can be caused in many different ways.
In the UK the most common causes of a minor head injury are:
- falls in around 22-43% of cases
- assaults in around 30-50% of cases
- road traffic accidents in around 25% of cases
It is also thought that alcohol may be a factor in up to 65% of adult head injuries.
Other causes of minor head injuries in young people and adults include accidents at home, sports-related injuries and industrial accidents (for example, falls while at work).
Some groups appear to be more at risk of a head injury than others. In the UK:
- around three-quarters of people with head injuries are male
- up to one-fifth of people with head injuries are 65 years of age or over
- nearly half of people with head injuries are children
Causes in children
Children are very active and often have little sense of danger, which is why most children will have some kind of head injury while they are growing up. Some of the more common ways that children may experience a head injury include falls from:
- cots
- windows
- stairs
- trees
- playground equipment
Read more information about accidents to children in the home.
Childhood head injuries may also occur as a result of cycling accidents or road traffic accidents.
Read more information about preventing minor head injuries.
