With the arrival of the expected snowfall, a risky period is entered in terms of orthopedic injuries. Many people face the danger of slipping and falling while walking on the road due to snowfall and icing. In order to get through this process with health, some precautions need to be taken. Assoc. Dr. Hakan Sofu gave information about the things to be considered while walking on snowy and icy ground.
Watch out for icing on alleys, slopes and overpasses
After the snowfall, many people, especially children and young people, go out to play snowballs and enjoy this situation. On the other hand, many people have to go out to go to work or get their work done. However, it should not be forgotten that the freezing cold that comes with the snow can cause icing on the walking paths. Side streets, sloped roads and overpasses are among the areas with the highest risk of icing. In cases where it is impossible to walk on the street from time to time due to the type that increases its severity with the snow, accidents due to slipping and falling on slippery roads can lead to serious fractures. For this reason, it is important that especially people in the older age group do not go out on snowy days, except for compulsory situations.
Choose non-slip shoes and multi-layered soft clothing that will protect you from falls.
In these days with heavy snowfall and icing, some precautions should be taken before leaving the house in order to avoid injuries due to slipping and falling. At the beginning of these measures are suitable winter shoes with non-slippery soles. In order to be protected from traumas that may occur after a fall, multi-layered soft clothing that can protect against impacts should not be preferred, and clothing that closes the vision barrier against wind and blizzard should be avoided. The person can take a sturdy umbrella with him to protect himself from snowfall and to support against any fall.
Do not walk with your hands in your pockets to protect yourself from the cold.
Instead of wearing gloves, most people walk on icy roads with their hands in their pockets to avoid the cold. In this case, it constitutes the most important causes of traumas that occur after falls in icy areas. Because a person walking with both hands in his pockets makes it impossible for him to keep his balance when he slips or to get support reflexively when he falls. Apart from this, one should not rush while walking, steps should be taken as balanced, slow and small as possible. Items should not be carried in both hands, one hand must be left empty. In the overpasses where ladders are required, care should be taken to step on the steps with the soles of the feet completely and evenly, and one should not go down the stairs without support from the handrails. In addition, it is necessary to create a route by trying to avoid the parts where icing is intense on the roads where you have to walk, and if appropriate, different roads that are not icy should be preferred.
Slippery floors cause the most hand and ankle fractures.
The most common form of injury in accidents on snowy and icy surfaces is falling on the hands with open arms or falling on the back. These orthopedic traumas; It causes wrist fractures, elbow fractures, shoulder dislocation, ankle fractures, hip and spine fractures. In addition, head and neck blows can lead to life-threatening injuries as a result of spinal injury or intracranial bleeding. Against any risk of falling in the icy area, the person should check himself before standing up. In particular, it is important to control the limb on which it falls, and to wait without moving by asking the people next to it to inform the healthcare team in case of any pain and limitation of movement.
Source: (BHA) – Beyaz News Agency
