Winter is peak season for slipping and falling outdoors, which is ironic given that we are advised to go outside for our mental and physical wellbeing.
Ice is the most obvious danger but snow, which looks so cheering, becomes a slip hazard when compacted or melted and refrozen. The most common risk, though, is from fallen leaves. Safe when dry, leaves crushed underfoot exude a mix of waxes, lignin, cellulose and plant oils. This mixes with rainwater to form a slimy, low-friction gel every bit as slippery as black ice.
The number of fall victims increases during the shorter days, when more people walk in partial or total darkness, making it harder for them to watch their step.
The best protection against winter’s slip hazards is to be vigilant. Walking carefully in suitable footwear greatly reduces the chance of a fall. If you do find a slippery patch, the NHS advises to “walk like a penguin”. This means taking small steps, pointing your feet outwards, and keeping your knees bent with your centre of gravity over your feet.
“If you find yourself out and about in icy conditions, adopting the penguin stance is a really effective way to move without falling,” says Linda de Caestecker, a former director of public health at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
