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Survive winter in Washington, DC without injuries from falling

Winter is here, which means snow and ice leading to more slips and falls.  We all have our slips and slides, which may seem fun to some but once you fall can be a frustrating recovery. 

At my office in the Capitol Riverfront, I frequently see clients with ankle fractures, ankle sprains, head injuries, and shoulder injuries due to falls or catching themselves from walking. We cannot change the weather but with physical therapy you cannot prevent the worse from occurring. Maintaining proper leg strength, good balance, adequate clothing footwear, and learning how to fall will have you back on your feet after a fall.

  • Strength: Work on strengthening your hip and ankle muscles. They help keep you steady and are involved in how quick you catch your feet. Also, if you were to fall, you need adequate leg strength to get back up.
  • Balance: Your balance is controlled by your muscles, vision, and inner ear. Keeping all those systems heathy and strong is vital to staying on your feet. A good measure of balance is being to stand on one leg for about 30+ seconds on a firm surface. If you are having trouble with balance, a physical therapist here at Rose can help diagnose and work on exercises to help restore function.
  • Proper clothing: Okay this might seem obvious, but it is impoortant to make sure you have comfortable footwear that allows you to move freely and that keeps your body warm. When snow melts on sidewalks it is treacherous, and even add-ons to shoes can be extremely helpful.

And hey, my last tip is that we're here to help! You don't need to self-diagnose and self-treat with youtube videos. We're experts in getting you to feel great, so give us a call if we can help! We have offices in Downtown Washington, DC and also in the Capitol Riverfront just a block from the Navy Yard metro stop...and yes, we accept most private health insurance. Our office coordinator team will get you setup with insurance coverage and appointments when you give us a call or email.