A good pair of boots with traction in the sole is typically the top answer for “how to prevent slipping on ice and snow“. But did you know that improvements in physical functioning can keep you from falling when snow and ice line your path? With Greater Vancouver seeing crazier weather with each passing year it’s time to join our northern and eastern neighbors and evolve to be physically prepared for this slippery precursor to injury. Let’s review.
3 Practical Ways Physiotherapy Can Help Keep You from Slipping on Ice and Snow
1. Sure-Footing Through Custom Orthotics
The manner of which you walk (your gait) absolutely impacts your ability to navigate the “ice fields” of your local community. Most people think nothing of it and chalk it up to being as automatic as breathing. This is not the case. In fact, most of the population could benefit greatly from a gait analysis, an examination that will uncover if there are ways to correct your manner of walking. A physiotherapist will provide guidance on how to walk for better posture and overall health, and more importantly may prescribe custom shoe-inserts to assist in this capacity. With greater attention to the way you walk (which will eventually become subconsciously habitual) and situated in a pair of custom orthotics you will reduce your risk of slips and falls on snow and ice. View more on custom orthotics available at our clinic.
2. Achieve Better Balance for Your Body
People with better balance are less likely to slip and fall on snow and ice. Custom orthotics will certainly assist in improving your balance, but there are other direct ways physiotherapy can be leveraged to improve your walking stability in treacherous weather. For one, a physiotherapist will identify if you have an underlying issue in your vestibular system that may challenge your ability to maintain balance. If this is of concern, vestibular rehabilitation will be an effective course of action. Your therapist guided movements and exercises will also work to stabilize your core, which is critical to standing and walking in a sturdy fashion. View more on how physiotherapy will directly improve your balance and mitigate the risk of slipping on ice and snow.
3. Improvement in Overall Health Makes You More Alert
People that make physiotherapy a part of their overall health regime (versus just seeing a physiotherapist when injured) attain better and more well-rounded physical health. Not only do they see improvements in body movements and physical function, they may be less likely to suffer the symptoms of common colds, may sleep better, and may be more likely to exhibit an elevated daily mood – the latter of which is critical at this time of the year. Taken collectively, all of these underlying physiotherapy-based benefits will help make you more alert and conscious of your surroundings. The more conscious of your surroundings your are, the more likely you’ll be to identify, avoid, and respond to hazards in your path.
Make physiotherapy a part of your health regime and you’ll see an improvement in performance, overall wellness, and enhance your ability to stave-off injury-inducing threats – snow and ice included. Contact us today at 604.558.2273 to schedule a consultation.