How to avoid street injuries in the fall: doctors warn about the dangers of rubber boots

Winter has not yet come into its own, but there are already more street injuries. Shorter daylight hours, fog, sidewalks slippery from the rain… What injuries are typical for autumn, what is the danger of a delayed trip to the emergency room, what shoes should be worn, how should athletes dress during this period – these and other questions were answered by the guests of the MK studio during the live ether: deputy chief physician, orthopedic traumatologist “Open Clinic” on Prospekt Mira Artur Glumakov and physiotherapist-reflexologist of the “Open Clinic” Marianna Yasneva.

In the fall, the limbs, back, and head suffer from injuries, but most often the ankle joints and hands are injured. According to doctors, the main problem is that injured people often do not immediately turn to doctors.

– A person may have internal injuries, but he continues to lead his usual, sometimes even active, lifestyle. In this case, treatment and recovery may take months, warned Marianna Yasneva.

According to Artur Glumakov, “preliminarily, patients come with a bruise, and in the process of research, deeper disorders can be revealed, even fractures, sprains, ruptures,” confirming the words of a colleague that “delayed problems are more difficult in terms of treatment.” If, for example, a person falls from his own height, then it is better to immediately go to the doctors and at least take an x-ray to understand whether there is any damage to the bone. “It’s clear that if the bruise is small, without external signs of edema, swelling, or redness, then you can observe it yourself,” he added.

Shoes play an important role in preventing falls on the streets. Autumn shoes should have additional fixation of the ankle joint, that is, they should not be loose. For autumn and further winter, you need to select shoes so that they are not flat-soled, but grooved, with some kind of tread to provide additional traction in case a person slips. As for rubber boots, in the classic version, when the foot is “in no way fixed either in front or behind,” such shoes are not suitable for the streets. But if rubber boots, for example, have a zipper, and the ankle is fixed in them, and “doesn’t dangle like a spoon in a glass,” then the chance of falling over in such shoes decreases. Doctors do not welcome rubber boots on children whose feet have not yet “formed”, although, on the other hand, there are modern rubber boots that look like a regular boot – and these can be worn by a child.

Doctors also advised to be careful when walking on fallen autumn leaves. “We need to be more careful. It’s like with ice – if you see ice, you don’t go there, and the same with leaves, especially if your shoes are questionable.”

If we talk about the danger of hypothermia in the fall, then first of all it affects the immune system, so there is no need to reduce it once again by wearing the wrong shoes. “If we get a provocation in the form of wet feet, then expect some kind of respiratory disease,” the doctors reminded. In a word, the effective “great-grandmother’s” slogan “keep your feet warm and your mind (head) cold” has not been canceled.

For athletes who exercise outdoors in the fall, Glumakov recommended that they wear thermal underwear that will retain heat and absorb sweat. Thermal underwear is needed, firstly, so as not to get too cold and, secondly, so that those joints that will be involved in the training process are warmed up. Before going outside, you need to warm up.

“If an athlete stumbles, falls, or makes some sudden movement, this can lead to joint injury,” said the doctor. – And if the joint is warmed up, in a warm place, then, accordingly, all the soft structures that stabilize the functioning of the joints and joints will be less susceptible to injury. As for shoes, these should be comfortable, lightweight sneakers with good tread to prevent you from slipping.

Dr. Yasneva added that “about 80% of young people come with some kind of sports injuries and injuries.” And these are not only runners, but also very often “weekend athletes”. A person sits in the office all week, and on Saturday, for example, he decides to go for a run, without any warm-up. And in this case, it is also better to contact doctors “without delay” in order to recover faster.

Doctors once again reminded about what to do if you get injured on the street.

– It all depends on the condition after the injury. If, for example, it is a joint injury, then you need to assess the general condition, how much the person can move, says Artur Glumakov. – If there are no gross violations – acute pain, walking is not impaired, then you can move. Arriving home, you should provide the injured area with rest and cold. We need to see that there are no additional changes in this area. Because any injuries or bruises are accompanied by subcutaneous changes: bruises, etc. The cold stops internal damage with hemorrhage, thereby preventing active inflammation from developing. And if there are any serious violations, then at a minimum we go to the emergency room.