When the weather outside is frightful, we at North Jersey Podiatry see a spike in ankle fractures and other ankle pains at our Wayne, NJ office. In many instances, these injuries could have been prevented. Below are some tips on avoiding ankle damage this winter.

  • Choose the right shoes. While most people don’t intentionally wear heels in the snow, all too often we hear of injuries that occur because someone was “just running into a store to pick something up.” Always have on low or no-heeled boots or shoes with good gripping treads for slippery conditions.
  • Assess the surfaces. Take the time to look at where you are planning to walk. Has the path been well-cleared of snow and slush? Has it been salted? Icy patches can be hard to detect, especially at night. Keep your driveway and walkways clear of snow and well salted to avoid accidents getting in and out of your own house. Be aware that the floors right inside office buildings and stores may be slippery from wet shoes as well.
  • Spend extra time warming up. If you continue your running or walking routine in the winter months, stretch and warm up inside longer than you do in more temperate weather. The cold can put extra strain on your muscles and ligaments so you want to be sure they are completely warmed up before you start outside.
  • Carry carefully. Don’t overload your arms with packages. First, this makes it difficult to see the pavement in front of you and second, if you do start to slip you won’t have your arms available to help you balance or break a fall.

If, despite your best efforts you do sustain a twisting or other ankle injury, don’t delay in making an appointment to be seen by our podiatrist, Dr. Paul G. Klein. Many patients make the mistake of waiting a few days and then when they can walk on it they assume their ankle is healed and no medical treatment is needed. This does not mean your ankle is okay. In fact, chronic weak ankles and ankle pain are most often caused by ankle injuries that were not treated promptly and where the rehabilitation was not complete. It’s always better to be safe than sorry down the road. Call our office at (973) 595-1555 to speak with our doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms listed above.