Doctor Warns of Holiday Decorating Injury Risks
UMC neurosurgery chairman says falls from ladders during holiday decorating can cause serious head and spine injuries.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Stroke
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Dr. J.D. Day, Chairman of Neurosurgery at UMC in Lubbock, warned families about injury risks during holiday decorating. Falls while decorating can cause head and spine injuries in addition to broken limbs.
Why it matters
The holiday season brings more travel and decorating tasks involving ladders and high reaching, which increase neurosurgical trauma. For Lubbock residents, the warning points to a seasonal rise in injuries that can require specialized neurosurgical care.
The warning is based on clinical observation from UMC's neurosurgery department rather than a published count of cases. The report describes more neurosurgical trauma during the holidays, but it does not quantify that increase or compare it with other seasons.
The players
Dr. J.D. Day
Dr. J.D. Day is Chairman of Neurosurgery at UMC in Lubbock, Texas, and issued the warning about holiday decorating injuries.
UMC
UMC is the medical center in Lubbock, Texas, where Dr. J.D. Day leads the neurosurgery department that treats holiday-related head and spine injuries.
The details
Decorating tasks that involve climbing ladders or reaching high places lead to falls, and holiday travel adds further injury risk. Dr. J.D. Day advises people to slow down, recognize their physical limitations, ask for help when decorating, and avoid alcohol when using ladders.
Timeline
November 2026: Families begin decorating homes for the holidays, the period the warning addresses.
Health Landscape
The warning fits a documented seasonal pattern in which UMC's neurosurgery department sees more trauma during the holidays. It shows how routine seasonal activities such as decorating can translate into serious neurological injuries that require hospital care.
Avoid climbing ladders while decorating, and ask someone to help with tasks that require reaching high places. Do not drink alcohol before or during ladder work, and seek medical care promptly after any fall that causes head or spine pain.
The takeaway
Holiday decorating carries real neurological risk, and slowing down, asking for help, and staying sober around ladders can prevent serious head and spine injuries.
Further reading
For more on neurological conditions affecting the brain and spine, see Stroke coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Home Page.
Live Poll
Do you take extra precautions when decorating your home for the holidays?
