The winter season brings snow, ice, sleet, slush, and freezing rain. And with that comes the risk of slipping. While many falls only result in a bruise and a scare, there is a significant potential to hurt yourself badly. While being careful and not walking around in icy conditions is the best way to stay safe, it’s also important to be prepared in case you or a loved one ends up in the unfortunate situation of an injury after slipping on ice. Keep reading to learn about preventive and restorative measures you can take when the temps drop and ice covers the roads and sidewalks.
Below are the top five injuries that people experience when falling on ice:
- Muscle sprains and ligament strains
- Fractures, including spinal compression fractures
- Broken bones — most commonly the wrists and hips
- Back injuries and pain
- Concussions and other head injuries
Preventing Injuries from Slipping On Ice
According to the Center for Disease Control, falls were the leading cause of injury in older Americans in 2016. Winter weather conditions increase the likelihood that an accident can happen. So, the CDC, along with OSHA — the Occupational Safety and Safety Administration — provides helpful information on how to prevent slips & falls on ice.
They recommend the following:
- Wearing the right footwear for the conditions you have to walk in
- Take short, small steps
- Slow your pace when walking if a surface is slick
- Sprinkle deicer or sand on icy areas
- Carry a cell phone in case you are injured and need to call for help
- Working slowly when performing outdoor chores in icy conditions
Treatment After a Slip or Fall on Ice
Preventing a fall is not always successful, and even when taking care of how you step and where you walk, injuries can happen due to falling on ice. The next steps you take after a fall and aid in a quick recovery.
If you and can’t get up or experience extreme pain, make sure to call 9-1-1 and go right to the emergency room. The ER will help stabilize your injury and ease your pain. If specialized care is needed, the emergency department will recommend what kind of doctor to see and might be able to check you out while in the ER.
If you fall and feel that you can get up and make it to a doctor on your own, head over to an urgent care facility. Urgent care centers usually don’t have long wait times and can give you a thorough check up to evaluate your injuries. They might order an x-ray, depending on the injuries. Or, they will suggest you see a specialist as a next step. Depending on your injury, more tests may be needed, such as CT scans, MRIs, ultrasound, or more. A splint or another temporary placement can be used to keep a bone or joint in a safe position.
Sometimes after a fall you don’t feel the effects of your injury right away. Swelling and pain can take a few hours or even a day to show up. It’s not too late to be checked out by an orthopaedic specialist, even a few days after the fall happened. Any pain that shows itself shouldn’t be ignored.
Make sure you are prepared for winter weather, even when it doesn’t snow there can be ice on the ground. If you or someone you know suffers from a fall, make sure to get it treated right away to avoid any long-term issues.