How to protect yourself from injuries in winter – advice of traumatologist

As winter comes the number of patients visiting traumatologistsincreases sharply, told NEWS.am Medicine Ruben Galstyan,PhD, deputy director of the Research Center of Traumatology and Orthopedics of the Ministry of Health of Armenia.

Poor street cleaning, ice and wrong shoes are the cause of traumas in people. According to Galstyan, there is no accurate statistics on numbers of fractures for this month, but the number of calls to the hospital is almost the same as in previous years.

As for typical winter injuries, according to traumatologist, «Fractures, sprains and bruises are typical problems for winter». Leading place among winter traumas belongs to fractures of arms and legs, injuries (sprains and fractures) of ligamentous apparatus of the ankle joint, knee joint injuries.

On the first place are the fractures of the radial bone in «typical» place. When someone falls down, he instinctively puts his arms forward, and they take the brunt. This is the way most people fall down, that is why it is called a fracture in «typical» place. The second most frequent case is fractured bone forming the ankle joint. Another common injury in winter is the damage of ligamentous apparatus of the ankle. On the third place of fractures is the proximal humerus, which is more common in elderly and senile age.

«When buying winter shoes note the sole», warns the traumatologist. You cannot buy shoes with smooth soles - it instantly leads to a fall on a slippery surface. In winter women must wear shoes on a sustainable low sole, excluding tall and thin heel, which is a risk of falling on the road. Better, if it is thick and relief sole on microporous and flexiblebase. You should not run and hurry on the ice, better be late, then receive a trauma.

«When walking relax your legs and bend slightly in knees. If you go down the stairs, then hold the handrails. Never keep your hands in your pockets, because when falling down they make the balance; and better wear your bag on your shoulder», advises the doctor.

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