‘Walk like penguin’ to avoid adding to winter trip toll | Winter
Winter is peak season for slips and falls outdoors, which is ironic considering we are advised to get outside for our mental and physical well-being.
Ice is the most obvious danger, but snow, which seems so happy, becomes a slip hazard when it is compacted or melted and refrozen. However, the most common risk is dead leaves. Safe when dry, the leaves crushed underfoot release a mixture of waxes, lignin, cellulose and vegetable oils. This mixes with rainwater to form a viscous, low-friction gel, as slippery as black ice.
The number of fall victims increases during shorter days, when more people walk in partial or complete darkness, making it more difficult for them to watch their steps.
The best protection against the risk of slipping in winter is to be vigilant. Walking carefully with suitable shoes significantly reduces the risk of falling. If you find a slippery area, the NHS advises you to ‘walk like a penguin’. This means taking small steps, pointing your feet outward, and keeping your knees bent with your center of gravity over your feet.
“If you find yourself in freezing conditions, adopting the penguin pose is a very effective way to get around without falling,” says Linda de Caestecker, former director of public health at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
