Take Precautions When Walking on Snow & Ice

The recent snow a little more than a week ago left icy patches on walkways and driveways, causing tricky footing in the early morning hours. Did you know that "baby boomers," or those between 40 and 59 years of age, are the most prone to falling on ice? They accounted for 30 percent of the emergency room visits. Those who were hospitalized stayed an average of 3.6 days. That's according to a study released by the Canadian Institute for Health Management.

However, older age groups were more likely to be admitted to the hospital, with injuries serious enough to require longer stays. Over one-third of all people hospitalized after falling on ice were 60 to 79 years of age. They were hospitalized for 7.6 days, on average. The elderly stayed in the hospital the longest after a fall on ice. The average stay for those aged 80 and older was 14.5 days.

Dr. Joseph Chen, medical director of the Iowa Spine Research and Rehabilitation Center, suggests wearing appropriate boots. "Snow boots, even though they can track mud into your house, provide a lot more traction for your feet than do dress shoes or even tennis shoes," he said. "Take shorter steps, and try to plant your whole foot gently down instead of using the typical heel strike that we use when we're walking or running," he added.

If you do fall on the ice and know immediately you have hurt your back, Chen says you should slowly try to get up. "It may be a bit more difficult to get up on your hands and knees if there's a large patch of ice. Be extra careful, and then walk slowly, using an extra hand-hold if one is available." Most of the time, falls on the ice lead to a strain of some of the deep muscles in the back. "Try to do some stretching exercises and take it a bit easy for the next few hours," he pointed out. "If you're able to take some Tylenol or ibuprofen, that may be helpful too."

Just one bad fall on ice can have long-term consequences. These include chronic pain in the affected area, a disabling injury that may mean loss of independence, or the fear of another fall, which discourages a healthy, active lifestyle. Fortunately, more melting should occur today through the upcoming weekend as daytime high temperatures climb into the 40s, well above the 37-degree normal this time of the year. Some light rain is likely by Friday, but temperatures will climb into the 50s this weekend.

Paul