JACKSON, Wyo. — Ever taken a tumble on an icy sidewalk?
According to the Mayo Clinic, one useful tactic to avoid slipping on ice is to channel a certain flightless bird’s style of movement. To walk like a penguin, keep the knees relaxed, point the toes slightly outward, take short steps, walk slowly and keep the hands free and ready to be extended. Keep the center of gravity directly over the feet as much as possible.
“Your arms are one of the greatest aids in maintaining your balance, especially when it’s icy,” Mayo Clinic writes on its website. “Start with your hands, and wear gloves. Gloves keep your hands warm and out of your pockets, which frees up your arms so you can extend them out from your sides to improve your ability to stay upright.”
For those who find themselves in the unfortunate position of having slipped, Mayo Clinic recommends taking stock of the body immediately and making sure there was no serious injury. Then, roll onto the hands and knees. Place one foot between the hands, then bring the other foot next to it, still between the hands. Keep the feet shoulder-width apart and push up from there. If there has been an injury, seek medical care immediately.
“The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control says slips and falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injury across all age groups, except the 10 to 24 group,” Mayo Clinic writes. “One in every five falls results in a serious injury, such as head trauma or broken bones. That’s more than 800,000 people being hospitalized each year.”
Icy conditions are all over the place as snow falls, melts and refreezes along with changes in temperature, to say nothing of the sporadic rainfall. Stay safe out there, penguins.
