SmartHealthToday: Walk like a penguin — to keep safe on snow and ice (yes, there will be some)


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By Dave Malaska
SmartHealthToday

Winter is bound to happen eventually — and that usually means ice and snow. The Centers for Disease Control and other health agencies have a few tips for you to keep you safe and sound.

Walk like a penguin

No matter how well the snow and ice is removed from parking lots or sidewalks, slips and falls account for a large number of emergency room trips during the winter. In cold temperatures, assume all wet, dark areas on pavements are slippery and icy. Walk in designated walkways as much as possible, as they’re more likely to be salted.

Also, the CDC advises mimicking our cold-weather friends, the penguins. Point your feet slightly out and walk with short, shuffling strides. This keeps your center of gravity over your feet, and makes it easier to regain control if you begin to slip.

Wear appropriate footwear

Avoid boots or shoes with smooth soles and heels when the temperature dips below freezing. Instead, wear shoes or boots that provide traction on snow and ice. Boots made of non-slip rubber or neoprene with grooved soles are best.

Keep your hands out of your pockets

Walking with your hands in your pockets may keep your hands warm, but it also decreases your balance. If you do start to fall, you can’t extend your arms to try to regain balance. If you can’t catch yourself and fall to the ground, your hands are stuck in your pockets and unavailable to break your fall.

Fall safely

If worse comes to worse and you do fall when walking, avoid landing on your knees, the CDC advises. Doing so increases the chances of knee and spine injuries. Also, try to relax as you fall. If you stiffen, the odds of a muscle injury or other back problems increase.

Be careful decking the halls

Every winter, almost 10,000 emergency room visits are attributable to accidents related to those holiday decorations. To keep from fa-la-la-la-laing your way into a cast, don’t take those decorations down alone, especially if a step ladder is involved. Have someone on hand to steady the ladder so you can hand them down. Another important reminder is not to go above the second-or-third highest step. The higher you go, even with a steadying hand, the greater the chance the ladder can tip and send you to the hospital. And, please leave the egg nog or Irish coffee until after the job is done.

Shovel smartly

Another common reason for trips to the doctor is back injuries caused by shoveling snow. Doctors advise not depending on your back while shoveling. Instead, use your legs – they’re stronger! Also, don’t try to be a one-person snow plow. Put less snow on each shovel load, reducing the weight. Finally, don’t twist to throw snow out of the way. That increases the odds of a back injury. Scoop up the snow, and walk it to its final destination. It’s a little more time-consuming, but your back will thank you later.

SmartHealthToday is a service of St. Elizabeth Healthcare.


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