Winter is the time for crackling fireplaces, steamy cups of hot chocolate and - if you're not watching your step - possibly a trip to the hospital.
A study from Norway found that older people had a 39-percent higher risk of fall-related fractures between October and March. The chief culprit behind these falls appeared to be walkways that were slippery with ice and snow.
However, you don't have to move to a tropical island to protect yourself from falls this winter. A few simple suggestions can help you become more sure-footed when you head out into the winter wonderland.
Do balance exercises. According to the National Institutes of Health, practicing the following exercises can help prevent falls. On a regular basis, repeat these movements:
- While touching the back of a straight-backed chair for balance, stand on one foot for 10 seconds. Repeat at least 10 times with each leg.
- Walk heel-to-toe in a straight line for 20 steps.
- Holding your arms straight out to your sides at shoulder height, start walking in a straight line. After each step forward, lift your back leg off the ground and hold it up a moment, then step forward with that foot.
Take vitamin D. In a 2009 study, researchers combined the results of eight previous studies and found that taking 700 to 1,000 IU of supplemental vitamin D reduced the risk of falls in older people by 19 percent. Being deficient in vitamin D is associated with muscle weakness, which can lead to falls, the authors wrote.
Keep your hands out of your pockets. Hopefully you're wearing shoes with deep treads and staying off icy and snowy walkways in order to reduce your risk of falling. But just to be on the safe side, when you're walking in the winter, keep your hands out of your pockets. If you hit an icy patch, you'll have more trouble keeping your balance or protecting yourself in a fall if your hands are stuck in your pockets.
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