Bonker’s NHS advice to ‘walk like a penguin’ amid cold snap – as health expert says: ‘It may seem strange, but the alternative could be a nasty injury’
- Walking with your legs apart and your arms extended can reduce your risk of falling
- NHS Glasgow said penguins know best when it comes to getting around on ice
The NHS is telling people to ‘waddle like penguins’ to avoid slips and falls in low temperatures.
Walking with your legs apart, a gentle knee bend and extended arms can reduce the risk of losing balance on the ice, according to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
While admitting that it “may seem strange to walk or waddle like a penguin,” the board said that “penguins know best” when it comes to getting around on ice.
And the alternative, it was said, could be a nasty injury and hospital admission after a fall – the most common accidents at this time of year.
The advice has been issued as parts of Britain are expected to reach -15 degrees Celsius (5F) tonight, which would make it the coldest January night in 14 years. The last time the mercury fell this low was in January 2010, when it measured -22.3 degrees Celsius (-8.1 degrees Celsius).
Walking with your legs apart, a gentle knee bend and extended arms can reduce the risk of losing balance on the ice, according to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Pictured: NHSGGC staff demonstrating the penguin walking position
The Met Office has issued amber warnings for snow in north-west Scotland and the Northern Isles, meaning delays on roads are likely, some vehicles could be stranded and rural communities may be cut off.
The NHS board gave full instructions, saying that you should bend your knees slightly and point your feet outwards, then extend your arms at your sides and walk flat-footed, taking short steps, keeping your center of gravity above keep your feet.
NHSGGC said this is safer than normal walking as it promotes stability and minimizes the risk of loss of balance and slipping on the ice.
It called on people who fall on the ice to only appear at the emergency room if their condition is very urgent or life-threatening.
In less serious cases, people should call 111 for advice, which may mean seeking help at a minor injuries unit.
Dr. Emilia Crighton, director of public health at NHSGGC, said: ‘At this time of year – and especially during icy spells like this – slips, trips and falls are the most common accidents leading to injury.
‘While it may seem strange to walk or waddle like a penguin, the alternative could be a nasty injury or even a hospital stay. Remember, penguins know best when it comes to moving around on ice, so if you’re out and about in the next few days, adopting the penguin pose is a really effective way to move without falling.”
She also urged people to support their elderly relatives and neighbors by making trips on their behalf – such as running errands and collecting prescriptions – so they can avoid going out in frigid conditions.
The NHS often provides advice to prevent slips, trips and falls in cold and icy weather.
It often includes recommendations for keeping hands free to help with balance, wearing shoes with good traction and avoiding going out early in the morning when the frost is thick or late at night when it is dark.
Older people are particularly vulnerable and are at greater risk of breaking bones from a fall, which can cause them to lose self-confidence and become withdrawn, the NHS says.