Normal Amount of Clumsy? Average Adult Racks Up 35 Injuries a Year

Think you’re more accident-prone than your friends? You might be totally average.

A new poll commissioned by bandage brand Curad has revealed that the typical adult suffers 35 minor injuries – like cuts, bruises, and scrapes – every year.

That’s almost three a month. So, if you haven’t stubbed a toe or cut yourself slicing into an avocado lately, you’re overdue.

Lifetime total: 4,000

Curad’s study also took a look at the lifetime total. Over the course of your life, the average person will tally up about 4,000 little injuries. So yes, it’s entirely normal to have a few mystery bruises at any given time.

4,000 would be 50 a year if you make it to 80 years old, much higher than the average of 35 for adults. But remember, not all age groups have the same injury risks. Anyone who’s raised a five-year-old knows they average way more than three boo-boos a month.

Think back to when you were a kid and all those times you bumped your head, got stung by bees, twisted an ankle, or skinned a knee. Those cuts and scrapes from your prepubescent years really add up.

The most common causes?

Unsurprisingly, the top culprits for adults are distraction, clumsiness, and kitchen mishaps – a trio responsible for most of our everyday injuries. Yeah, we’re basically walking slapstick routines.

And speaking of distraction, technology is making it even worse. A whopping 80% of people say they’ve had a near-miss accident while using their phone. One in three admit to close calls while walking and texting, and nearly one in five have gotten into trouble just from scrolling social media.

So if you’ve ever walked into a pole while checking Instagram, you’re not alone.

We’re oddly proud of our injuries.

There’s also a surprising amount of social pressure tied to injuries. One in four people say they feel judged when they wear a band-aid, and are worried others will think they’re weak. But not everyone feels that way.

A solid number of Americans are into the attention and can’t wait to brag about it. One in eight people want you to ask what happened, because every injury has a story.

The TL;DR? It’s a dangerous world out there. Life’s hard, and no one gets through it unscathed. (Especially if you’re walking around staring at your phone.)