The smallest room in the house can be a dangerous place.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year about 235,000 people over age 15 visit emergency rooms because of injuries suffered in the bathroom, and almost 14 percent are hospitalized.

More than a third of the injuries happen while bathing or showering. More than 14 percent occur while using the toilet.

Injuries increase with age, peaking after 85, the researchers found. But injuries around the tub or shower are proportionately most common among those ages 15 to 24 and least common among those over 85. People over 85 suffer more than half of their injuries near the toilet.

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Fainting is not a common cause of injury, but it occurred most often in the 15-to-24 age group. Alcohol use may be a factor, the researchers suggested, but there is no data to prove it.