Personal Injury Prevention: 6 Tips to Avoid Walking Injuries This Winter
The Holidays are here and that means cold weather is too. It is important to take steps toward personal injury prevention, so you do not get hurt this winter.
Winter Personal Injury Prevention
1) Wear Good Shoes
Shoes are one of the tops reasons people slip in the wintertime. A great tip for personal injury prevention is to remember that function comes before fashion. Make sure your shoes have a thick tread on the bottoms so that you will not fall if you encounter dicey terrain.
2) Take Your Time
Slow is always better! When in doubt, it is always better to take your time talking on sidewalks, driveways, and walkways during the snowy/icy weather. When someone runs through these conditions, they are less likely to be able to catch themselves should they slip and are more likely to sustain serious injuries like broken bones. A great personal injury prevention tip is to walk slowly and leave plenty of time to get where you need to go. Doing so will prevent many falls as well as make it easier for you to catch yourself if you experience a slip or fall.
3) Check the Weather
The first thing anyone should do before leaving the house this winter is to check the weather. Most weather apps will let you know if there will be ice. If there was rain and then freezing temperatures, expect that any salt treatment has melted, and your walkways may be icy. This tip for personal injury prevention helps you stay prepared and know what to expect when you go outside.
4) Be Cautious
After you check the weather and leave plenty of time to get to your destination, the next personal injury prevention tip is to be cautious. Be attentive to your surroundings, always checking for ice before you step forward onto questionable surfaces.
5) Treat Walking Paths
Always take preventative measures and treat your walking/driving paths with salt when you know ice is coming. If you forget to beforehand, you can still lay down salt after ice, just remember to take the right personal injury prevention steps beforehand so that you do not fall during the process. Laying down salt after ice/snow will slowly melt what is there so you can keep going.
6) Free Your Hands
The last personal injury prevention tip is to free your hands. It can be tempting to walk with your hands in your pockets because you’re cold or carry all of your groceries inside in one trip like you would in the summer, but these are dangerous actions. Keeping your hands free is essential should you slip and fall. If they are in your pockets or carrying bags, then you will not be able to stop your fall and could experience a serious injury.
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