How to walk on slippery ice correctly so as not to slip and fall. How to fall correctly so as not to get injured or break bones (10+)
How to walk on ice
In winter, ice causes falls and injuries. If earlier people were engaged in intensive physical labor, their muscles and bones were trained, falling was not so dangerous for them, but now, with our sedentary lifestyle, hitting the ground can be very dangerous. Elderly people need to be especially careful. However, there are techniques that allow you to walk quite confidently on ice and other slippery surfaces.
On a horizontal surface
How we usually walk
Most people walk like this. When taking a step, a person throws his leg forward and pushes off with the other. In this case, it turns out to be a jump, that is, when we walk, we seem to be running. This is precisely why we slip. The back leg slides back and the front leg slides forward. In addition, the person does not place his entire foot on the floor, which reduces the contact area, aggravating the situation. In physics it is known that sliding friction is much less than static friction. That is, if the leg slips forward a little (which is not scary), then it will easily move to the side (and this usually leads to a fall).
How to walk on ice correctly
Learning to walk on a relatively horizontal slippery surface is quite simple. The step should consist of the following stages:
- Transfer the entire weight of your body to one leg (for example, your right leg), making sure it stands securely on the ice.
- Raise the other leg (left).
- Place your left foot on the ice with the entire area of your foot.
- Gradually shift your weight to your left leg, making sure it does not slip.
- Shift your body weight to your left leg.
It seems difficult to do everything described above. It is not typical for a person to control his actions every time he walks. But it's actually quite easy to learn. It is enough to practice at home, on a flat floor. Then start walking down the street like that. A person's motor skills are well developed. In just a week you will be walking like this without thinking about every step.
The movement itself with such an “ice” step may look different. For example, the common military step is very suitable for walking on ice. The formation step contains all the elements described above. It clearly trains the transfer of weight on one leg, and balancing on one leg, and the correct placement of the foot over its entire surface. If you know how to walk in formation, then this is exactly what you need to walk on the ice. You don't need to learn anything.
Another version of the ice step looks different. But in general it is no different from a combatant. Just don't pull your toes. You can also put your bent leg forward. This doesn’t change things, but you still need to focus on ensuring that the entire weight of the body is on a steadily standing leg.
Readers often write that they tried to walk on ice in formation, but slipped. The fact is that not everyone is good at this step. Worth practicing:
- Stand up straight.
- Shift your weight to one leg and lift the other. Wait like that.
- Move your raised leg forward. You need to stretch out your toes, but you don’t have to keep your leg straight; we’re not preparing for a parade.
- Place your raised leg on the floor and transfer your body weight to it.
- Repeat with the other leg.
How to fall correctly
When falling, damage does not occur from the fall itself, but as a result of hitting the ground with various sensitive parts of the body. In winter, a person is dressed quite well. His clothes are a reliable shock absorber. But the problem is that the average person has very incorrect reflexes. When falling, he tries to grab onto something, waving his arms and head. It is these parts of the body that are susceptible to injury. There is nothing wrong with falling on your side or on a soft spot. Clothing and soft fabrics on your body will soften the blow. There might be a bruise, that's all.
But by swinging your arms, you risk hitting your elbow, breaking your hand or fingers, or hitting your head. I once saw a man who, having slipped on ice, fell successfully and did not hit anything in particular. But he still received an injury from swinging his arm too hard and dislocating his shoulder.
To avoid getting injured, you need to learn how to fall correctly. That's right - this means that you need to group yourself, remove all the hard protrusions of your body (elbows, knees, fingers, hands, head), relax all your muscles and fall like a sack of sand. Then you are in no danger. Learning how to fall correctly on your own is almost impossible. What to do? You need to enroll in the strength martial arts section, in which throws and sweeps of the enemy are practiced, for example, judo, sambo, etc. Immediately tell the coach why you came. Let him not waste time on your special training; let other participants train throws on you. In these sections, at the very beginning, they teach you how to fall correctly. In a few lessons you will learn, and you will no longer be afraid of any falls. This is a very useful investment of time and effort, as these skills are well reinforced, and in old age they can extend your life for many years. A hip fracture makes an elderly person disabled for the rest of his life. In old age they do not grow together. Even special, very expensive metal prostheses installed surgically into the bone cannot completely replace an entire bone.
Unfortunately, errors are periodically found in articles; they are corrected, articles are supplemented, developed, and new ones are prepared.
Cold weather and ice inevitably affect your health - falling on ice is fraught with a bruise at a minimum, and dislocations and fractures at a maximum. Proper footwear will help you stay safe in icy conditions and avoid injury. outerwear and a neat gait.
How to walk in icy conditions?
During icy conditions, try to walk slowly, do not keep your hands in your pockets, but balance them as you move. If you are carrying a bag, it is better to hang it on your shoulder. If possible, you need to choose the safest sections of the path and do not forget that there may also be ice under the snow. You must place your foot on the ground completely on the entire sole and do not strain your knees.
Elderly people are recommended to use a cane with a rubber tip or a special stick with pointed spikes. If you slip, sit down to reduce the height of your fall. To avoid fractures when falling, do not put your arm forward, try to keep your legs together.
Before crossing the road, it is best to wait once again for a car to pass, and not cross directly in front of it, even if it seems to you that it is far enough away. Otherwise, you may fall and not have time to get up. In this case, you risk ending up in a hospital bed as a result of an accident.
Try not to wear high heels in icy conditions. It is better to wear shoes with flat soles, preferably made of rubber with treads that do not harden at low temperatures.
Regardless of what shoes you wear in winter, when it’s icy, walk as if you were wearing skis. It is advisable to step on the entire sole and do not raise your feet high when walking. If possible, it is better not to walk, but to slide. If you have slippery shoes, you can give them grip. There are several ways to do this.
Rubber prevention
The easiest option is to take your shoes to the nearest shoe shop and ask for “slip prevention.” You will have a special rubber pad on your soles and heels, which will protect your shoes from ice.
Medical patch
You can buy a regular medical plaster, cut small pieces from it and stick them on the sole. The patch prevents slipping well, but, unfortunately, it quickly gets wet and peels off. But it is impossible to predict how long the patch will stay on the sole. As a rule, from several hours to two to three days. That's why it's a good idea to carry a supply of patches with you so you can update your stickers when you're out and about.
Felt
Anti-slip protection can also be made from old unnecessary felt boots. To do this, you need to cut small pieces of felt from the boot and glue them with waterproof glue or Moment glue to the heels and soles. To ensure that the glue on your boots dries completely, do not go outside wearing these shoes for 24 hours. This method effectively prevents slipping, but over time the felt wears off.
Sandpaper
The soles of old boots can be rubbed with sandpaper - such prevention from slipping will ruin new shoes. In addition, this radical method will not be as effective as the previous ones, since with active wear, the sole of the boots is naturally polished and begins to slide. After a few days, the boots will have to be polished again.
Ice access
If the ice is very strong, you can try special anti-slip pads on the soles - ice pads. They have a universal size, are sold in sports and hardware stores and reliably protect against falls.
Rule of politeness
If you see a passerby swaying or already falling next to you, you should not run away for fear that he will hit you. On the contrary, show solidarity - extend your hand and help maintain balance.
If you feel like you are falling, in the first minutes, try to move your body and body weight forward and to your side. In this case, your hands will reflexively help you weaken the force of the fall. Under no circumstances should you fall back.
If you do fall, go to a traumatologist, even if there is no noticeable bruise. Firstly, not all injuries manifest themselves immediately, and secondly, sometimes even mild pain can indicate a dislocation, but only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.
Chisinau, December 8, – AiF.MD. In Chisinau, 131 people have already been injured as a result of icy conditions since yesterday evening. 112 of them ended up in hospitals with injuries of varying severity. How to walk in icy conditions without falling?
Black ice is dangerous for both people and cars, especially when the smooth, slippery surface of the ice is dusted with light snow. If you notice that the street is slippery, you need to go and look at your feet. Knowing a few techniques for proper walking can help protect yourself from injuries and fractures.
How to walk in icy conditions?
During icy conditions, try to walk slowly, do not keep your hands in your pockets, but balance them as you move. If you are carrying a bag, it is better to hang it on your shoulder. If possible, you need to choose the safest sections of the path and do not forget that there may also be ice under the snow. You must place your foot on the ground completely on the entire sole and do not strain your knees.
Elderly people are recommended to use a cane with a rubber tip or a special stick with pointed spikes. If you slip, sit down to reduce the height of your fall. To avoid fractures when falling, do not put your arm forward, try to keep your legs together.
Before crossing the road, it is best to wait once again for a car to pass, and not cross directly in front of it, even if it seems to you that it is far enough away. Otherwise, you may fall and not have time to get up. In this case, you risk ending up in a hospital bed as a result of an accident.
Try not to wear high heels in icy conditions. It is better to wear shoes with flat soles, preferably made of rubber with treads that do not harden at low temperatures.
Regardless of what shoes you wear in winter, when it’s icy, walk as if you were wearing skis. It is advisable to step on the entire sole and do not raise your feet high when walking. If possible, it is better not to walk, but to slide. If you have slippery shoes, you can give them grip. There are several ways to do this.
Rubber prevention
The easiest option is to take your shoes to the nearest shoe shop and ask for “slip prevention.” You will have a special rubber pad on your soles and heels, which will protect your shoes from ice.
Medical patch
You can buy a regular medical plaster, cut small pieces from it and stick them on the sole. The patch prevents slipping well, but, unfortunately, it quickly gets wet and peels off. But it is impossible to predict how long the patch will stay on the sole. As a rule, from several hours to two to three days. That's why it's a good idea to carry a supply of patches with you so you can update your stickers when you're out and about.
Felt
Anti-slip protection can also be made from old unnecessary felt boots. To do this, you need to cut small pieces of felt from the boot and glue them with waterproof glue or Moment glue to the heels and soles. To ensure that the glue on your boots dries completely, do not go outside wearing these shoes for 24 hours. This method effectively prevents slipping, but over time the felt wears off.
Sandpaper
The soles of old boots can be rubbed with sandpaper - such prevention from slipping will ruin new shoes. In addition, this radical method will not be as effective as the previous ones, since with active wear, the sole of the boots is naturally polished and begins to slide. After a few days, the boots will have to be polished again.
Ice access
If the ice is very strong, you can try special anti-slip pads on the soles - ice pads. They have a universal size, are sold in sports and hardware stores and reliably protect against falls.
Autumn days, when the rain that fell the night before freezes on the asphalt in the morning in the form of an ice crust, are jokingly called by motorists “the days of the tinsmith,” and all because on such days on city roads the number of minor accidents with dented fenders and broken bumpers increases significantly. However, these days can rightfully be called “the days of the traumatologist and radiologist,” since the number of patients in trauma centers and X-ray rooms also increases significantly.
The coming winter has brought new dangers - these are uncleaned stairs after snowfall, the descent along which resembles the descent of a rock climber without insurance, and ice skating rinks dusted with snow. For schoolchildren, such skating rinks are great fun, making their way to school and home
more fun, but for adults, ice hidden under the snow threatens an unexpected fall and serious injury.
However, it is within our power to protect ourselves in winter from bruises, sprains and fractures by following a few simple rules.
The right shoes
At the first sign of ice, put on winter boots. The sole of such shoes should not be slippery. When choosing shoes in a store, pay attention to the material from which the sole is made, since it is this that primarily determines the ability to resist slipping, and not the tread pattern, as many believe.
The softer the sole material, the more stable the shoe. The best material From this point of view, rubber is considered, but it tends to wear out quickly. Polyurethane is also okay, but if the frost is very strong, the sole will harden and become slippery.
The thickness of the sole is no less important. If the sole is too thick, it will be difficult to flex the foot while walking, which will inevitably lead to reduced stability. If the sole is thin, then stability will increase, but with it the risk of cold feet will also increase, which, as is known, can provoke the development of colds.
Correct gait
When you find yourself in a slippery place, you should not think about the beauty of your gait and how you look from the outside. If such thoughts still occur to you, then imagine how you will look in a hospital bed with a plastered leg or arm.
You need to walk on ice in small but confident steps, stepping on the slippery surface with your entire foot at once, and not rolling from heel to toe, as usually happens during normal walking.
Despite the fact that you are not going to fall, you should still prepare for a fall, for which you should group yourself accordingly in advance so that during a fall, tense muscles can protect bones, ligaments and internal organs from injury. If you are ready to fall psychologically and physically, then you will have a much greater chance of getting up healthy.
How not to fall
Most often, you don’t expect a fall, and everything happens almost instantly. There is no need to talk about making a decision in a split second, since all movements are carried out reflexively. However, we have the power to form the correct reflexes in ourselves, for which it is not a sin to visit the gym and practice falling on soft mats, or do it at home by laying something soft on the floor.
If you neglect such preparation, then it is unlikely that during the fall your arms and legs will be in the most advantageous position and you can only hope for a lucky chance.
Typical fall errors include the following:
- Support on a straight arm. In this case, a falling person tries to prevent or soften the impact of the body on the ground by placing a straightened arm under itself. Thus, the entire body weight puts extreme pressure on the elbow joint, which as a result often breaks with fragments and displacement.
- Elbow support. As in the first case, a falling person “softens” his fall, but substitutes his elbow. The load in this case is transmitted through the humerus to the shoulder joint and collarbone. The collarbone is not the strongest bone in our body, which is why it is most likely to break.
- Fall on buttocks. In some cases, this type of fall is very safe, for example, it can be practiced to prevent a collision with a tree while skiing. However, if this happens while walking on ice, then the dynamics of the fall will be completely different - the legs will slip forward and the body will land on its fifth point in free fall. Most of the load in this case will fall on the spine, which can lead to compression of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, injuring them (compression injury).
- Fall to one knee. This usually happens when a person stumbles and begins to fall forward or to the side, while his hands are occupied with full bags from the supermarket. The torso of a person who has lost balance continues to remain in an upright position, but moves relative to the legs. Trying to preserve food and cleanliness of clothes, the participant in the incident places his knee as a support, on which almost the entire body weight plus the weight of the precious food set falls. The kneecap of such attention may simply not be able to withstand such attention and break. If this happens, then under the impression of pain the unfortunate man remembers with strong words the slippery slope, and all the janitors living in the world, and, of course, all the food in bags, according to cash receipt list.
- Hitting the back of the head when falling backwards. Such a nuisance occurs when a falling person does not have time to tense the neck muscles, as a result of which the head continues to move after the shoulders have stopped. It turns out to be a kind of lever, like a sling, at the end of which there is not a stone, but a head, which hits the ground with great speed with the back of the head. The outcome, at best, may be a bruise of the soft tissues of the back of the head, at worst - a concussion, a crack in the skull, the base of the skull, etc.
How to fall correctly
There are many ways to preserve the integrity of body parts during a fall. Anyone who has practiced judo or any other type of martial arts knows that the first training sessions are boring, but coaches persistently try to teach how to fall correctly, since in this case the outcome of the fight largely depends on the technique of falling.
In our case, precious health and full ability to work are at stake, so the fall technique becomes even more relevant.
Most often, a person falls in three known ways: forward, backward and sideways. In all cases, the first thing to do is to free your hands, throwing away what is in them. The thrown items will have a chance to fall into a soft snowdrift, and you will have a chance to land without serious consequences.
Falling forward
If you stumble and fall forward, then you are faced with the task of regrouping in such a way as to avoid mistakes number one and number four. To do this, straighten your legs and put both arms forward, bent at the elbows and slightly tense. Spread your fingers and bend them slightly so that your palm resembles big spider. The fall should occur on both arms at once, which will bend and soften the force of the blow or completely prevent the collision of the torso and the ground. The final position should be the prone position known from physical education lessons or from films about the army.
Falling backwards
When falling backwards, you must protect your tailbone and spine on the one hand, and protect the back of your head on the other. To do this, tilt your head forward as much as possible, resting your chin on your chest. Close your teeth and do not try to scream, much less speak (there will be time for a strong word when you find yourself on the ground), otherwise you risk biting your tongue hard.
Bend your knees to approximately a right angle and spread them apart.
Straighten your arms and spread them to the sides at an angle of forty-five degrees relative to the body, palms with closed and straight fingers should look down.
Bend your back in an arc so that, if necessary, you can roll from your lower back to your shoulders and vice versa, thereby extinguishing the force of inertia.
With this method, your hands will be the first to take the blow and will definitely soften it. To ensure greater shock absorption, you can hit the ground with your hands when falling, but not too hard to knock your palms off.
Side fall
In this case, you must prevent yourself from falling onto your elbow and straight arm. To do this, straighten your arm and extend it forward, palm down. As with falling backwards, the hand must touch the ground first and along its entire length, as a result of which the force of the blow will decrease.
The leg should also take part in shock absorption, so bend it at the knee and move it in the direction of the fall, trying to touch the ground with its entire lateral surface. In this case, the contact area will be larger and the energy of the fall will be distributed more evenly.
Tilt your head towards your chest and in the direction opposite to the direction of the fall, as a result of which you will avoid being hit by your temple and ear.
How to walk along Russian streets in icy conditions without falling? A question that worries all pedestrians this winter. Black ice is equally dangerous for everyone, that is, car drivers too.
But this article will describe rescue methods specifically for pedestrians in order to survive until the end of winter without injuries, dislocations and fractures, especially fractures of the hip joint and femoral neck, which are a real scourge in the winter season.
So, when moving on ice, never keep your hands in your pockets; balance them with them for balance. Your walking speed should be a little slower than you normally walk. Hang bags with straps on your shoulder - do not carry them in your hands. Ice can be hidden under the snow in absolutely any place, so if you walk the same path to work every day, try to remember the safest sections of the path. Step on the ground with your full feet, do not go around obstacles on your toes or in any other way. If you are a pensioner, get a studded cane or at least one with a rubberized tip.
If you are slipping and feel like you are about to fall, try not to spread your legs, but keep them together. Bend your legs slightly to reduce the height of a possible fall. Do not point your legs and arms straight forward, this will help reduce the risk of bruising and sprains. When crossing the road, do not rush across it. Better wait until the next car passes. Avoid high-heeled boots. Shoes with stable rubberized flat soles will be safer. When walking, try to shuffle slightly, as if you were skiing. Step confidently with your entire sole and be sure to look under your feet.
What to do with slippery shoes?
What to do with your shoes if they slip a lot and you can’t buy a new pair? Here are some tips:1. We take the pair to the workshop with a request to stick rubber pads on the soles. Rubberized shoes slip much less;
2. Apply a medical plaster to the sole. The patch will last for several hours, then, of course, it will fall off and you will have to stick it on again. It's cheap, but effective way protect yourself from falls;
3.If you have old felt boots, be sure to use their felt. After cutting out small circles with a diameter of 3-4 cm, glue them onto the soles and heels with permanent glue. Leave the boots in a warm place for a day so that the glue dries completely. The felt will wear off if you wear the shoes for a long time, but with it you will definitely not fall for a long time.
