Even if you’re the most physically fit person in the world, all of your attention to fitness could be undone due to nothing more than a simple slip on the ice. You don’t have to be frail to suffer some type of foot or ankle injury associated with the winter elements; even the best of us can plant our feet in just the wrong manner, causing a painful injury that may take weeks to rehabilitate from.
Thankfully, there are ways that you can protect your body from enduring a slip on the ice that causes a painful injury. While there’s no way to truly avoid the slip and fall hazard other than avoiding ice entirely, the tips on hand from the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons will have you at the very least looking at the ground under your feet in a different way.
Obviously, you’ll want to stay away from icy paths whenever you can. That also means circumventing snowy patches that may conceal ice beneath them. You’ll never be endangered by ice if you’re not moving on the ice. A slip on the ice is particularly dangerous in terms of falls because it can send your whole body into the air before crashing down on the ground, the brittle surface creating a more painful impact than might otherwise be expected.
Because there may be times when walking on icy ground is unavoidable, then at the very least have the right shoes for the job. A pair of athletic shoes that afford plenty of traction are a far better alternative in winter weather than high heels or any other kind of shoe that won’t grip the ice properly. This is the case even if you don’t think you’re going to be walking very far; you never know when your vehicle will break down or when a parking lot will have icy patches no one ever took care of.
When you get home, take your shoes off and set them somewhere they’ll be allowed to dry. Otherwise, they may remain wet or covered in snow, thus undermining the shoes’ ability to keep you safe from a slip and fall.
If at any point you do fall, then take stock of the situation. Don’t ignore pain just because you have things to do. Ice may have contributed to the injury, but it can also relieve swelling or damage when combined with rest, elevation, and compression. See to these things at once, and if the pain persists, see a doctor so that he or she can address more serious damage, like a sprain or fracture, that may have occurred.