'Have a Hmmm' in the season of love
Love is in the air in the first three months of the year with the number of weddings across New Zealand peaking. But cupid’s bow can be dangerous – wedding-related injuries also peak during this time.
Kiwis are being urged to play it safe over the wedding season to avoid putting a dampener on their celebrations.
Our figures show that over the past six years (2017 to 2022), an average of more than 300 claims have been accepted each year for wedding-related injuries.
These have come at a total cost of almost $3.2 million to help people recover. Last year’s cost of $603,000 was the highest in the past six years.
The figures show wedding-related injuries typically increase from January and peak in February and March.
Over the past six years, an average of 56 claims were accepted for injuries that occurred in February, while an average of 52 claims were accepted for injuries that happened in March.
Almost two-thirds of these are soft tissue injuries like muscle strains and ligament tears, with the most common injured area the back or spine.
The most common activity people reported doing when they were injured during wedding celebrations was a recreation or sporting activity, followed by walking or running.
Avoiding injury during a special time
ACC injury prevention leader James Whitaker says weddings are great occasions where people meet up with family and friends and celebrate a special time.
But they can also increase the chance of getting injured if people get a bit carried away and let their guard down.
“Weddings can often involve alcohol so it’s a good idea to take it easy, drink plenty of water, and spend some time out of the sun to avoid getting dehydrated,” James says.
“There can also be many distractions that mean we’re not quite as alert as we could be.
“Our research shows 90 per cent of all injuries are preventable, and this is no different for wedding-related injuries.
“Data shows most injuries that occur at weddings are soft tissue injuries like strains and sprains, and most of these are preventable if we take the time to slow down and assess the risk.”
If you get hurt, who gets harmed?
The data also shows that over the past six years, there have been an average of 360 active claims each year for wedding-related injuries.
Active claims are those that are still receiving payments from ACC. They may have been first accepted in a previous year.
James says any time someone is injured, that injury doesn’t just affect them – it also affects their friends, whānau and workmates.
“These injuries can have flow-on effects for a lot of people, and they can take weeks, months, or even years, to recover from depending on the severity of the injury,” he says.
“We love that people gather together to celebrate these special occasions and have a great time with friends and family, but we want them to do so in the safest way possible.”
Wedding-related injuries 2017-22
Total new claims: 1,838
Total active claims: 2,161
Most claims by age-group: 25-29 (278 new claims)
Female claims: 1,274
Male claims: 564
