Careful on the Ice this Winter

The pantry is running low, the firewood is gone, and work and school are once again calling.

No matter how much you may prefer to stay holed up after the big nor’easter last weekend — other parts of the country have plenty of snow and ice as well — we all have to go back outside, eventually. But that icy world can be a dangerous place.

How dangerous? Falls account for almost half of all hospitalized injuries and are the leading cause of injuries treated in emergency departments. They are also the leading cause of trauma deaths followed by car accidents. Most falls occur, not surprisingly, in December through March.

Even in regions where we might suspect residents are among the most sure-footed on ice and snow, the statistics will make you cringe as though you’ve just hit the ground yourself. In Minnesota, falls during the winter months are higher by 1,500 to 2,000 cases than at an other time of the year. Those typically affected aren’t who you might think: It’s people in the 25-to-59-year-old bracket.

In Canada, there were 7,138 hospitalizations in 2011 due to falls on ice. That doesn’t even include people who died at the scene of the injury or who were treated outside of a hospital setting, such as at a walk-in clinic or doctor’s office. Also worth noting: Women had close to 900 more falls than men that year, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

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I can speak to that frigid, hard reality myself, unfortunately.

Living in one of the coldest and windiest states during the winter months, I used take myself to the mall a few nights each week just to get out and walk. After a 45-minute brisk stroll one night, I headed back out to the car.

Before I even had time to activate my car lock, my right foot went out from under me. I landed on my right hand, quickly sprung up and proceeded to slip and fall on my left side, head first. Beneath my bleeding face was black ice.

[lz_bulleted_list title=”Avoid Winter Falls” source=”Ontario Injury Prevention Resource Centre“]Keep sidewalks clear.|Use salt on icy areas.|Wear boots with a non-slip tread.|Wear a low heel.|Plant your entire foot down.|Take shorter steps.[/lz_bulleted_list]

Fifteen minutes later, a woman saw I was lying on the ground and called 911. The next thing I knew I was in the ER with my son and husband staring at me. They were in shock over my appearance, which included facial and body cuts, bruised bones, and swollen and bruised limbs. They were also relieved to know I would recover.

Because not everyone does.

Unintentional falls account for over 19,000 deaths annually in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Slip and fall accidents are also the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). And, in addition to icy walks this time of year, people are now paying more attention to their phones than to what’s in front of them on the sidewalk.

If you fall and are able to get up, brush yourself off and laugh about it, great. But consider yourself lucky. People lose jobs, marriages, and often their sense of self after a TBI due to a fall. Almost half of individuals 65 and older end up going to a nursing home after a fall-related injury — and 12 percent will die.

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This is not all gloom and doom; it’s to offer a reminder to take precautions on the ice seriously.

Moyagh Murdock, CEO of Road Safety Authority, told LifeZette, “Many slips and falls happen in places that people regard as safe and secure, such as outside their front door, on the door step, on their walkway, or while getting out of the car.”

We can’t control the weather, but we can clear our walks — and our elderly neighbors might appreciate a hand while we’re at it. That’s especially true with more snow and ice on the way.