Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic Certification Practice Exam

What injury type is most likely associated with falling feet first from a height?

1. Lower back injuries

2. Head trauma

3. Fractures of the lower extremities

4. Chest compression injuries

The correct answer is: Fractures of the lower extremities

Falling feet first from a height primarily impacts the lower extremities upon landing, which can lead to various types of fractures. The force of the fall is transmitted through the legs and can result in injuries such as fractures of the ankle, tibia, fibula, or even the pelvis. The legs are designed to absorb some impact, but substantial falls can exceed this capacity, making fractures the most common injury type associated with this kind of accident. While lower back injuries could potentially occur in such falls, they are less direct and often depend on the dynamics of the fall beyond simply landing on the feet. Head trauma could happen if the impact were severe enough to cause the body to bounce or topple after landing, but this is not typically the primary injury when landing feet first. Chest compression injuries would be even less likely, as these injuries typically result from falls that involve direct trauma to the chest area or from landing on the chest rather than feet. Thus, the nature of the injury as a result of that specific type of fall makes fractures of the lower extremities the most likely outcome.