ICE ice baby
If you live in Ohio in the winter, you know that it can get icy outside.
Do you take all the necessary precautions to make sure you’re safe?
Let us give you some tips!
It's that time of year here in Cleveland. Snow and ice will be here until early spring (hopefully) gets here! Therefore, I’m giving 5 tips on how to prevent slips and falls on the ice!
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1. Keeping that intraabdominal pressure in your core is very important. This all goes back to belly breathing - let’s review! With each breath in, we want our belly to expand 360 degrees. Instead of breathing up in our chest, we must redirect our breath down lower into the abdomen. This serves as a brace to our lumbar spine, and that brace will help prevent injuries. Isn’t it crazy how just breathing correctly can prevent so many issues?!
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2. Slow and steady wins the race. This goes without saying, but sometimes you can’t even see the ice, so don’t be in a hurry if you want to be safe this time of year!! If you’re not already wearing slip-resistant shoes or boots, going slow and steady is even more important! Pro tip: bring your work shoes in a purse or bag with you into work. Dress shoes tend to be very slippery on ice! It’s worth it to prevent falls as you are walking in or out of work.
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3. When you’re going to get out of your car, plant your foot firmly on the ground before standing up. Sometimes the worst falls can happen with that very first step onto ice! Keeping your hands free to hold onto the car door as you step out of your car is just another precaution to make sure you are confident and steady as you take your first step onto the ice.
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4. Next, putting your center of gravity slightly more forward than normal will also help. Now that doesn’t mean completely round at the back with bad posture! It means hinge at the hips, sticking that butt back but keeping that back straight. If we do slip, this will help us catch ourselves easier since our weight is shifted slightly forward.
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5. Keep your hands out of your pockets while walking outside! Our arms serve as a huge source of balance for us, and we’ll need them if we start to slip and fall. So put on those mittens or gloves so your hands can stay warm while they are out of those pockets and at our sides to help keep your balance!
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I hope you guys stay safe this winter and take the necessary (slow) steps to prevent a fall on ice!
