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 Bay Area orthopedic surgeon is no stranger to winter-related injuries like fractures, concussions, dislocations, muscle strains, cuts, and bruises. Walking in the snow isn’t always the safest situation, but you can take precautions when traveling on icy terrain to avoid injury.
- 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 your San Francisco knee doctor.
- If you ever do 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. Falling to the side if at all possible, can help avoid this.
- Use ice grippers such as spikes to prevent a slip or fall. There are a lot of ice cleat options available today to help you walk more safely on ice and snow.
- Wear proper footwear like boots or shoes with textured soles as they will help you maintain traction and grip. Make sure you try on the footwear and walk around the store before you purchase to ensure they have good traction.
- To avoid an emergency trip to your San Francisco shoulder injury specialist, try not to carry heavy loads when you are walking on ice.
- Be extra careful around entrances and doorways because they can have slick spots where ice and snow tend to naturally melt and create puddles. Knock as much of this stuff off your shoes as possible before entering any building to avoid slipping once inside.
- Consider starting an exercise program focusing 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 always proceed with caution on slippery surfaces and terrain. For more information on how to protect your health during the cold weather season or if you do happen to injure yourself, give IASM a call at (415) 923-0944. You can also conveniently schedule online by clicking BOOK ONLINE above.