Slipping on Ice!

I am sure a lot of people have already slipped and fell on ice due to the weather we are experiencing today. It hurts! You get up and shake it off and go about your day somewhat normal. You often times experience sore and stiffness for a week or two and then life goes on. What most people don’t realize is there are typically an underling injury that is causing that sore and stiffness in the body that get ignored.  This is why I stress the importance to get evaluated after a fall of any kind especially one involving slipping on ice!

Why should you go see a Chiropractor after falling on the ice when there is no visible sign of injury?

Untreated injuries sustained from falling on ice can often lead to long-term complications with your health down the road! A slip and fall often results in trauma to several of your body’s systems. Often times, your pelvis becomes rotated and twisted due to the impact of the fall. This injury will cause the rest of the spine to then shift out of place in order to compensate and attempt to balance out the pelvic rotation and twisting that occurs.

Another common and more serious injury that can happen when you fall on ice is damaging the spinal discs. As you land on your butt and back, the force from the fall can go through the disc, causing a disk to herniate, bulging out, or even cause ruptured disc syndrome. As research shows, it is nearly impossible to hit the ground without doing any underlying damage to your body. A chiropractor can determine if your injury is simply a deep bruise, an injured joint or something more serious

How does a fall on the ice affect my body?

Ice is extremely hard, when you slip and fall on ice, you lose all control of coordination.

When your body hits the ground (whether it’s your back, side, bottom or front) the ground does not give or absorb your fall. Factoring in the slipping motion the ice makes, the velocity in which you fall and hit the ground is faster and harder than a typical fall.  When you hit the ground, your body’s joints undergo instant sprains and strains. Sometimes the force of the fall is balanced enough to were you only injury the tissues and joints, where other times the forces goes through the bones causing them to break. Just because you can walk or move your body in a relatively normal way without experiencing a lot of pain or discomfort does not mean that your body is not injured!

Symptoms, big or small are the body’s way of telling you it is injured. Listen to your body and seek the proper care before the situation becomes an emergency. Call our office today if you have had a slip or fall on the ice!