It happens to the best of us, we’re walking down the street, maybe talking on the phone or listening to some music and our hands are shoved in our pockets to keep them warm. What could possibly be wrong with that? Well, keeping your hands in your pockets could lead you to a more significant Connecticut slip and fall injury if you’re not extra careful.
The first word of advice here if you spend a lot of time outside in the winter months is to buy a good pair of gloves so you do not need to rely on your pockets to keep your hands warm. A good pair of gloves will keep your hands warm, but will also keep your hands free to take care of the rest of your body in the event that you find yourself slipping on ice or snow and in need of assistance from your hands.
Why is it so important to have your hands out of your pockets and available to you while you’re walking?
There are two main functions that your hands can perform when you’re walking along the sidewalk or street. The first is one that your hands perform all of the time but that you’ve probably never taken stock in before and that is balance. Your hands are one of the main sources of balance for your body whenever you are walking. Believe it or not the way you hold your hands can have a major impact on your ability to walk while being balanced. It can be hard to believe, but if you ever get the opportunity to try to walk on a balance beam with your hands in your pocket, you won’t have too much success.
The second function that your hands perform happens only if they fail at their first function and that is to brace your fall when you do lose your balance. If your hands are in your pocket and you suddenly slip on a patch of ice you will be hard pressed to pull your hands out of your pockets in time to brace you from the fall. Without your hands available to brace your fall you could end up with a serious injury, anything from broken bones to a concussion and other injuries in between.
You may think this is overstating the importance of your hands to your safety when you are walking around town during the winter months, but these are in fact two incredibly important functions that your hands perform that without them you could find yourself in a situation where you are experiencing a significant Connecticut slip and fall injury. So, in the winter months we suggest a good pair of gloves to keep your hands warm and free to perform the duties that will keep you safe from serious injury.
If you are out for a walk and an injury does occur you may need to speak with an attorney who has experience in dealing with this type of injury. Contact our office and one of our attorneys will work with you to make sure that your long-term interests are being protected.
