Background Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) are one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in Saudi Arabia despite preventive measures and programs. The major factors for the increase in the incidence of mortality and morbidity are due to human factors, such as over speeding, not obeying traffic laws, fatigue, and driving before the legal age. In this study, we aim to report the pattern of orthopedic injuries (OIs) from RTA in the south-western region of Saudi Arabia and to explore the healthcare outcomes of OIs. Method This is a retrospective, record-based, case series study including RTA patients who were admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) at a tertiary hospital in the south-western region of Saudi Arabia. The data was collected for 531 admitted RTA patients with OIs over for five years from May 2011 to May 2016. Patients who were 15 years of age or above were included in this study. The data were analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 21. Results A total of 531 patients were included with an age range between 15 and 90 years with an average age of 29 ± 2 years. Most of the population was male constituting 91.3% of the sample while 91.9% of the sample were Saudis. About 75% of the OIs had simple fractures and complex fractures were recorded among 10.2% of the cases. About half of the cases (52%) had lower limb fractures and 32% had upper limb fractures. Conclusions RTA and the resultant OIs, death, and permanent disabilities cause a tremendous burden on economic resources and should be of concern for local authorities. More attention and regularities should be paid to avoid life-threatening driving behaviors.

This study investigated the clinical and radiologic outcomes of lateral humeral condyle (LHC) fractures in children and evaluated the functional outcome of these injuries according to the type of treatment using the Quick DASH questionnaire. Data on consecutive children admitted to the Emergency Department for LHC fracture (01/11-12/18) were collected from their charts. Anteriorposterior and lateral radiographs of the injured elbow were used to classify each fracture according to Jakob's classification, and to detect any other concomitant bone lesions. Data on pain, stiffness, impact on daily activities, skin lesions, surgical-site infection, and range of motion were retrieved. The Quick DASH questionnaire was used to evaluate functional outcome. Forty-eight children with a mean age at trauma of 6.06 ± 2.22 years (32 males; mean follow-up: 75 ± 25 months) were reviewed. The overall Quick DASH score was 4 (0-15.9); it was 2.69 ± 0.31 in Jakob-1 (n = 12; 25%), 3 ± 1.06 in Jakob-2 (n = 19; 39.6%), and 3.06 ± 1.56 in Jakob-3 fractures (n = 17; 35.4%). Functional outcomes were similar irrespective of the severity of displacement, type of treatment, length of postoperative immobilization, and presence of associated fracture (P > 0.05). Quick DASH scores in children less than 8 years (2.77 ± 0.44) and in those more than 8 years (3.47 ± 2.13) were similar (P > 0.05). Five out of 48 patients developed one complication (10.5%). Good functional and radiologic outcomes can be expected in children with LHC fractures irrespective of the amount of initial displacement, type of treatment, length of postoperative immobilization, and age at surgery. Families should be warned about potential complications although these are most often minor. Level of evidence: III.

The prevalence of low back pain (LBP) is increasing exponentially, with this public health issue affecting over 70% of the population. However, sedentary careers exacerbate the problem further, with professions such as teaching disproportionately affected. In addition, the general population does not seek interventions from medical professionals for LBP; instead, they opt to manage their pain with over-the-counter medications, such as sedatives. The purpose of this study was to explore practices and beliefs related to back pain treatment among schoolteachers in the Asir region. This cross-sectional study included a sample of 312 teachers from the Asir region, with data collected regarding the prevalence of back pain, management approaches, and beliefs surrounding medical interventions. Chi-square or exact tests defined the association between variables, with significance determined at p < 0.05. Our results revealed that 67.3% of Saudi Arabian teachers experienced LBP within the last two months, with a continuous condition representing 36.7% of cases. This study identified several different treatment modalities the participants use to manage their pain, including sedatives, best rest, kaiy (traditional cautery), and local adhesives, with sedatives being the most employed method. It also highlighted that increased daily working hours and total days worked significantly increased the prevalence of LBP (p < 0.05). Although a considerable number of the included teachers were highly educated, with some teaching experience, they had a poor level of awareness and an incorrect attitude towards pain management. Enhanced efforts should be made to improve teachers’ awareness regarding back pain causes and management methods.