Tips for Preventing Falls and Slips on Icy or Snowy Surfaces

Bay Area Knee Doctor With Cold Weather Injury Prevention Tips

Winter weather is often dreamy. The beautiful snow-topped mountains and clear, crisp skies can be delightful to admire. But along with the magical scenery comes a list of potential hazards. Your average orthopedic surgeon is no stranger to winter related injuries like fractures, concussions, dislocations, muscle strains, cuts, and bruises. Walking in the snow isn’t a perfect situation, but if you must travel on icy terrain, follow these tips to avoid injury.

1. Plan in extra travel time so you can walk or drive slower. When walking on ice or snow, bend your knees slightly and take shorter steps. This could prevent an emergency visit to the knee doctor.
2. If you ever fall, resist the urge to put pressure on your wrists to stop the fall. Putting too much pressure on a wrist can break or fracture it.
3. Use ice grippers such as spikes to prevent a slip or fall.
4. Wear proper footwear like boots or shoes with textured soles as they will help you maintain traction or grip. Make sure you try on the footwear and walk around the store before you purchase to ensure they have good traction.
5. To avoid an emergency trip to the shoulder injury specialist, try not to carry heavy loads when you are walking on ice.
6. Be extra careful around entrances and doorways because they can have slick spots where ice and snow tend to naturally melt and create puddles. Try to knock as much of this stuff off your shoes as possible before entering a house.
7. Consider starting an exercise program that focuses on balance and leg strengthening to help reduce the chances of injury and falling.

The Best Shoulder Injury Specialist San Francisco Has To Offer

To stay safe and injury free in the winter weather, follow the steps above and proceed with caution. For more information on how to protect your health during the cold weather season, give IASM a call at (415) 923-0944.