Columbus-Ohio – When the the temperature falls and the snow is on the ground, it’s a great time to be outside and enjoying all of the fun activities winter allows. At this time of year, everyone is looking forward to the holidays and a crisp fall breeze. Unfortunately, one of the unique challenges that winter presents can get in the way of relaxing holiday vacations. We’re talking about increased risk to your body that comes from an often invisible or hidden threat, ice! The good news is that there are precautions you can take to make sure you avoid leg, torso and head injuries. First, some background on the problem.
Ice results from the freezing of liquid to a solid state under circumstances of cold and win, and temperatures under 32 degrees. It often lies in wait beneath a dusty of powdery snow or other material. One false or too confident step can easily result in a loss of traction and a fall. When you were young, you may have paid scant attention to ice, snow and a frozen surface. You could slide, and even fall down, without much more than a bounce and a brush of the snow. However, as people age, their bodies become more sensitive to injury from such incidents. Not only that, there is a certain level of responsibility in adult life, such as lost work time, quality of life, that can not so easily be brushed aside.
In the Central Ohio climate, these are real threats. Even without snow, a late fall ice patch is certainly possible. “As the calendar moves into November and December, we see many more of these injuries. In particular, we see an increase in head injuries, ankle, feet and leg injuries. Further, we often see wrist injuries from attempts to stem the fall!”, notes Marc Pesa of Scioto Urgent Care of Northwest Columbus.
How can these injuries be prevented? Well, luckily the solutions are well known. The first option is avoidance. If you see an ice patch, don’t risk it. If you see an area that has snow, but no visible ice, assume ice is present and proceed accordingly. If you can not avoid it, proceed slowly with short steps and deliberately with the required caution. If you are a winter scenario, one of the key things to remember is that footwear can save you in many cases. Wear shoes with proper tread and grip, and you will be in a safer situation.
If you find yourself in a situation where the fall is unavoidable and in progress, there are steps you can take to have the fall result in minimal injury. If you are falling, believe it or not there are steps you can take to fall “the right way.” On your way down, protect your head and avoid locking your legs or arms in a stiff position, as an impact with limbs in such a position causes increased pain. If you are falling, protecting your head and staying loose, the final step to remember is to remember to fall on your side. As the fall is progressing, try to transition into a tuck and roll to spread the force of the impact over a larger area. After falling, make sure to take your time rising to your feet on a surface with traction.
If you have taken all of these precautions, you can substantially reduce your risk of injury resulting from slips/falls. If you suffer an injury that does not recede, please stop by a Scioto Urgent Care location to get your condition evaluated. “If detected and diagnosed in a timely fashion, recovery times can be shortened and un-neccesary pain can be avoided.”, says Dr. Pesa.
###
About Scioto Urgent Care
Scioto Urgent Care is one of central Ohio’s leading urgent care facilities. Located on the Northwest side of Columbus (near Dublin & Upper Arlington) the urgent care center has been treating patients since early 2004. Scioto Urgent Care is a convenient health care alternative when your regular family physician is closed or you can’t get a timely appointment.
The Northwest Columbus urgent care location is open everyday, including weekends and holidays. You do not need to be a regular Scioto Urgent Care health care patient to enjoy our convenience and medical care. No appointment is necessary. Just walk in and receive care when you need it most.
###
Media Contact:
Scioto Urgent Care
4760 Sawmill Road
Columbus, OH 43235
United States of America
Phone: (614) 789-9464
Fax: (614) – 789-9575