Have a nice trip
When it’ s icy, just walking down the street is treacherous. Experts share the best way to take a tumble — and how to get back on your feet
WATCH your step!
Winter weather means slippery conditions and an increased risk of falling. Every 11 seconds, an older adult heads to the emergency room because of fall-related injuries, according to the new Harvard Medical School Guide, “Preventing Falls.” And terrain can be especially dangerous in New York City, says Marcy Simon, the manager of senior fitness programs at Asphalt Green, a nonprofit community health center with two NYC locations.
“Navigating in New York is very tough: The sidewalks are uneven. There are cracks. It’s one obstacle after another,” says Simon, who spearheaded Asphalt Green’s Skills in Motion class (20 one-hour sessions, free for members and $400 for nonmembers) to teach seniors fall prevention and best practices, such as landing on the soft, fleshy parts of the body. “It’s a war zone out there.”
Transportation is also liable to trip up New Yorkers. “Getting in and out of the subway, going up and down those steps. We’ve had a lot of issues with missing a curb getting out of a bus or cab,” says Simon. Plus, she says, “we’re lugging stuff everywhere we go,” which can throw off balance.
According to the Harvard guide, “instinctive actions” such as extending the hands straight out to break a fall, or stiffening the body, can actually increase the likelihood of injury, while a “tuck and roll” motion can help minimize impact.
“It’s hard to think of yourself as a sack of potatoes, and just letting your whole body go loose, hugging yourself, and letting yourself roll onto your butt while you’re falling,” says Dr. Howard LeWine, the chief medical editor at Harvard Medical School, who oversaw the guide. “You ought to practice this on a soft, grassy place or even put a mattress pad on the floor.”
Likewise, Simon “encourages [practiced] falling” in the Skills in Motion course, which focuses on “posture and gait work, as well as balancing,” through games such as balloon volleyball to build spacial awareness, and soccer drills to increase the ability to stop and go quickly.
In addition to improving balance (LeWine swears by tai chi) and strengthening stability muscles (Simon suggests squats), it’s important to know how to recover in the event of a tumble.
“Something we emphasize is how to get back up without hurting yourself even more,” says Simon. “You don’t want anyone lifting you up by your shoulders, compromising your spine. You want to roll over on all fours and pull yourself back up to stand.”
To avoid slipping while walking on ice in the first place, LeWine suggests angling your feet outward. “Put your feet out to 45 degrees to the side rather than straight ahead. What’s happening is you’re keeping yourself balanced over your core . . . You’re widening your base and keeping yourself centered.” Another way to get a foothold on stumbling? “No shuffling — pick your feet up!” adds Simon.
And keep your hands out of your pockets because if they are in there, “you can’t use [your arms] to help you swing a little bit, and help you move your body so that you’re not hitting your head,” says LeWine.
Finally, people of all ages could benefit from putting down their phones. Says LeWine: “Looking down at your smartphone while walking is horrendous.”