Tips To Reduce The Risk Of Trips And Falls

Paying attention to your surroundings as you go about your everyday business is probably the best way to avoid tripping and falling. Yes, we all have those busy days on the go where it seems like there is not enough time in the day to get things done, but safety should always come first for the sake of yourself and others.

Technology Can Be Trippy

Technology is a great thing. We have the ability to send text messages to people while on the go. However, if we are walking through a busy shopping mall or a busy city street, having our head buried in our smartphone or cellular phone to send a text probably is not the best idea. You will miss every single hazard as you are walking. It will become very easy to miss that open manhole around the next corner, or that uneven curb just before you cross the street.

Texting while walking is not the only smartphone hazard. Have you ever taken a phone call while walking through a busy supermarket or walking down a busy street? You can easily become distracted from the things that surround you, especially if the phone call becomes intense or even emotional. Suddenly, what seems like a safe grocery store to pick up a few things becomes a hazard, as you are too distracted to see that broken jar of spaghetti sauce in aisle five. Before you know it, you have slipped and are lying on your back , unable to move. How about taking a phone call while walking down a busy street? Will you even notice that a large section of the sidewalk is missing before your next step? Forbes reported on the dangers of texting and walking here.

Footwear Is Important

Before you even consider walking out the door to walk through that busy street, take a look at your footwear. Do the bottom of your shoes have enough traction left to keep you safe when walking on slippery floors or walking through snow and ice covered surfaces? Perhaps you need to consider wearing the correct shoe for the environment around you as you take that walk. Visit Preventfalls for more footwear tips.

Slow down and take your time. Nothing is that important that you have to rush around and put your safety, as well as the safety of others at risk. Many times when we are in a hurry, we tend to pick up the pace when walking. Walking faster puts you at a higher risk for missing a step or missing a stair while walking. Slowing down in winter conditions will also prevent you from slipping or falling, as sometimes icy conditions may not be easily seen or snow may be covering a hazardous surface that you may not be aware of.

Be extra careful when you are walking and carrying a box or a heavy item, especially if part of your vision becomes blocked. How many times have you been carrying a large box and have had to go down a few flights of stairs? It is not exactly easy, if at all possible, to see your feet as you go down the stairs, so you may not be aware of any changes in the stairs or the walking surfaces. You may even miss pieces of the rug or carpeting that may be sticking up, making it easy for you to slip or fall.

While you may not be able to control all the situations, conditions, or environments that you have to walk in, paying attention to your surroundings, especially when they may vary, will go a long way to keeping you safe and avoiding slips, trips, or falls.