HSHS hospitals encourage community members to walk like a penguin this winter season

Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, Wis.  –  With more snow and ice expected in the months to come, HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals want to ensure area residents stay safe when walking on snow and ice. 

Slips and falls can cause serious harm as conditions of roads, parking lots and sidewalks worsen in winter weather. They can cause injuries ranging from minor bruises, cuts and abrasions to more serious fractures, spinal cord damage and concussions.

HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals each see an average of 100 people each year due to winter-related slips and falls. 

“Slipping and falling on ice or snow may seem minor but can really cause serious injury,” says Regi Geissler, registered nurse and assistant manager for HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals’ emergency rooms. “Whenever someone is outside where sidewalks or driveways may be slippery, we urge everyone to walk like a penguin.”

To walk like a penguin:

• Bend slightly at the waist and walk flat footed
• Keep your center of gravity over your feet
• Point your feet slightly outward
• Shuffle your feet and take short steps

Here are additional tips to be mindful of over the next few months to avoid slips and falls: 

• Beware of wet, dark areas on the pavement. There may be thin, hardly visible layers of ice (black ice) on these spots as a result of dew or water vapor freezing. It is best to treat all of these areas as slippery in cold temperatures. 
• Walk slowly. Use handrails when walking up or down steps. Choose well-walked paths and avoid taking shortcuts since these areas may not be accessible for snow or ice removal. 
• Keep your hands free and extend your arms while walking. Avoid carrying too much or placing your hands in your pockets. This will keep your center of gravity from decreasing and help to maintain balance.  

If you do take a fall and need emergency care, call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room immediately. The emergency departments at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital, 900 W. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, 2661 Co. Hwy I, Chippewa Falls, are well-prepared to deliver high-quality emergency medical care 24/7.   

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About HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital
HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is the Founding Institute, and it is an affiliate of Hospital Sisters Health System. Since 1889, it has been meeting patient needs in western Wisconsin with the latest medical innovations and technology, together with a Franciscan whole-person healing tradition.

About HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital
HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is the Founding Institute, and it is an affiliate of Hospital Sisters Health System. Since 1885, it has served the people of the Chippewa Falls area with health care that is high tech and high touch. Known locally for the quality of the care it provides patients, the hospital has been recognized nationally for its outstanding patient satisfaction levels. 

About Hospital Sisters Health System
Hospital Sisters Health System’s (HSHS) mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high quality, Franciscan health care ministry. HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our physician practices and 15 local hospitals in two states - Illinois (Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Greenville, Highland, Litchfield, O’Fallon, Shelbyville and Springfield) and Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan, and two in Green Bay). HSHS is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries,  and Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is the founding institute. For more information about HSHS, visit www.hshs.org. For more information about Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, visit www.hospitalsisters.org.