September 22 is Falls Prevention Awareness Day, which was created to raise awareness about how to prevent fall-related injuries among older adults. As we age, preventing falls is crucial to staying healthy, as falls are the leading cause of injury to seniors in the United States.
A simple precaution you can take to help avoid falling is selecting proper footwear. Winter is on the horizon which means many of us will be trudging through snow and slush at some point soon. One way to help prevent falls in the winter is to add slip prevention shoe attachments to your boots or shoes. While no shoe traction device can provide absolute safety on slippery surfaces, when used correctly these can add traction and help to minimize the risk of slips and falls.
Benefits of Fall Prevention/Slip Prevention Shoe Attachments:
(Also Known As: “Coils”, “Shoe Spikes”, or “Grippers”)
- Provides footwear traction on ice, packed snow and frozen ground but will not eliminate the inherent risk posed by activity in such conditions.
- More stable when attached to boots than shoes. Better with lugged soles rather than smooth.
- Put on and remove when sitting or standing on a rubber mat, rug, or any other non-slip surface.
- These devices should not be worn for indoor use. Do not use on linoleum, tile, wood, or marble floor especially when wet. They are not for use on gravel, concrete and sanded roads free of ice and snow.
- Great when walking a dog, especially one that might pull on the leash.
Adding shoe attachments is one step you can take in preventing falls this winter. For more tips on preventing falls, click here.
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