With slippery and uneven terrain all around us for most of the winter, it’s important to be aware of the many risks that might follow a slip or a fall. Better yet, try to Avoid Falls and then also avoid costly & painful injuries altogether.
Top Strategies for avoiding falls when walking on ice:
- · Don’t over stride – take shorter steps
- · Bend knees slightly the whole time you are walking
- · “Penguin Shuffle” your feet keeping them with in you base of support
- · Check surrounding before getting out of a vehicle, grip onto something until proper footing is achieved
- · Wear winter footwear with good traction if possible
- · Try ice grippers/traction cleats
- · Slow down
- · Keep your hands out of your pockets
- · Allow more travel time (driving & walking)
- · Avoid carrying heavy, awkward items on ice (or get help by using a buddy)
What could happen if you “do” fall:
As most individuals try to catch themselves during a fall this usually means a twist or turn in the wrong direction followed by an impact on a hard surface.
Many injuries caused from slipping on ice are:
- Back, neck and shoulder injuries
- Dislocations
- Muscle strains
- Fractures
- Concussions
Concussions can even arise even if your head has not made contact with anything. A quick and sudden change in direction or landing on your butt can be enough to cause concussion symptoms. Concussions present differently in each of us, but listed below are a few of the main symptoms to keep watch for:
- Headache/pressure in the head
- Nausea or Vomiting
- Dizziness/ Balance problems
- Sensitivity to Light or Noise
- Double/blurry vision
- Feeling sluggish or Hazy
- Feeling more emotional, irritable, sad nervous or anxious
- Confusion
If you don’t feel right after a fall, whether it be muscle soreness, constant headaches, difficulty remembering or a deep ache that persists after bruising something, ensure you let someone know what happened and follow up with your most trusted practitioner.