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For big parts of the United States, the past few days have brought lots of snow and lots of cold<\/a>. Where there’s snow and cold, there are slips, falls and ice-related injuries.<\/p>\n Authorities, first responders and medical professionals say that by following some common-sense rules, many of those problems can be reduced or avoided altogether.<\/p>\n From slowing down while driving on slick roads<\/a> to imitating the slow, shuffling walk of penguins to never assuming lake ice is thick enough, changing behavior can keep people out of hospital emergency rooms.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there\u2019s ice, there\u2019s a risk,\u201d said Dr. Robert Wahl, vice chief of Emergency Medicine at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital in Commerce Township, Michigan.<\/p>\n Southeastern Michigan, along with much of the eastern U.S., have been in a deep freeze for about a week as extreme cold<\/a> followed by snowfall and plunging temperatures has left streets, driveways, parking lots and sidewalks hazardous.<\/p>\n Wahl says that when people tumble outdoors on ice, emergency rooms typically see three major groups of injuries: closed-head, outstretched hand and wrist injuries, and hip injuries.<\/p>\n Closed-head injuries really can be problematic, especially for the older adults, while outstretched hand injuries from trying to break a fall are painful, but most don\u2019t require surgery, Wahl said.<\/p>\n \u201cBroken hips. Those 100% need surgery,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Dr. Alexander Cotter of the Center for Spine and Orthopedics in Denver, advises adopting the \u201cpenguin protocol\u201d of a small, shuffling gait while leaning forward to keep your center of gravity low. <\/p>\n \u201cPeople all the time think that if you slip it’s not going to be a big deal,\u201d he said. \u201cYou’re in a rush, looking at your phone and all of sudden you slide. If you’re waddling, taking it slow you’re going to be safer.\u201d<\/p>\n Cotter specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and pain management. When falling, he says people should try not to fall on their outstretched hands to avoid serious injuries to joints like elbows and rotator cuffs.<\/p>\n \u201cStay hands-free,\u201d he said. \u201cThink about tucking your chin down to protect your head. Leaning forward helps prevent the backwards fall. With forward falls, a lot of times you can take it on your shoulder.\u201d<\/p>\n Wearing shoes or boots with tread and traction and limiting the amount of items you carry should be considered, too.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe not trying to be a superhero and taking everything (in) at one time,\u201d Cotter said. \u201cWhen you hurry, that’s when you get injured. Be aware of what you’re doing no matter what is going on. It\u2019s common sense stuff and not the fault of any one person to not think of these things.\u201d<\/p>\n Just prior to the current arctic blast<\/a>, with daytime temperatures close to freezing and nighttime lows near or below zero degrees Fahrenheit (minus-17 Celsius), the Oakland County, Michigan, sheriff’s office already was busy on a few of the county’s 450 lakes.<\/p>\n The county borders Detroit to the north and northwest.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore the cold snap we had done six ice calls in nine days \u2014 people through the ice<\/a> or animals through the ice,\u201d Sheriff Mike Bouchard said Tuesday. \u201cNo ice should be considered safe just because we’ve had a few cold days or because you’ve measured in one spot.\u201d<\/p>\n It’s more about what you can’t see, according to Bouchard.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are currents under the ice. There could be springs under the ice that melts it in one spot,\u201d he said. \u201cWe’ve recovered two snowmobiles through the ice this year and saved two people out of a situation where they could have died.\u201d<\/p>\n They’ve also seen animals perish. \u201cWe remind people if there’s an animal on the ice, even a family pet, running out there doesn’t help the pet and it certainly doesn’t help you.\u201d<\/p>\n Bouchard said that people walking, fishing or riding snowmobiles on the ice should measure the ice thickness in the area where they plan to be and not assume the thickness will be the same in all spots.<\/p>\n Take proper weather and safety equipment, he added.<\/p>\n \u201cHave ice awls in your pocket to pull yourself out of the water,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen you’re back on the ice, stay flat. You need to distribute your weight.\u201d<\/p>\n