Selecting the Correct Footwear to Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls

Innocuous as they may sound, slips, trips, and falls are a leading cause of fatalities, amounting to as much as 15 percent of all accidental deaths. 

While trips could be a function of your foot colliding with objects or even result if you wear the wrong size shoes, slips typically happen when there is too little traction between the foot and the surface.

Clearly then the kind of footwear can have a very important role to play in your overall safety. Here are some of the aspects to watch out for when choosing your footwear:

Comfortable Fit

First up, go for shoes that offer a comfortable fit. The right grip will automatically improve balance and help to keep accidents at bay. Be sure to check that the shoes have a firm grip on your heel. While if the shoe is too large for your foot, it can lead to chances of tripping, but do ensure that there is enough room in the shoes to move your toes.  If your job involves standing on your feet for long hours, there is going to be some amount of swelling that the shoes should have room for. You should also look for features such as polyurethane “cages” on both sides of the shoes that can offer a bespoke fit if more tightness is desired.

Slip-Resistant Outsole

Ensure that the shoes have a slip-resistant outsole. A rubber outsole that is certified by the industry-standard Brungraber Mark II Test will ensure that it provides superior slip resistance, even if you are walking on a wet floor or one that is coated with oil or grease.

Deep Treads

Footwear with deep treads typically offers much better traction. Depending on the kind of surfaces you need to work on, do choose the right treads for foot safety. What is also important is to check for wear and tear. Continuing to use the shoe when you do not have much tread left will lead the footwear performance to decline, and thereby not offer you the requisite safety. 

Deep Heel Cup

If you work in an environment where you are prone to tripping, you need to pay attention to choosing a shoe with a deep heel cup as opposed to opting for a low-cut shoe. This is important because, in the event of tripping, our attempt is to try and readjust our position to prevent a fall. With a deep heel cup, the ankle tends to have additional stability and thereby the risk of ankle injury when you put pressure on your foot is significantly reduced. The other advantage of a deep heel cup remains that the foot is aligned with the knees, hips and ankles. Not only does this limit pronation but also helps reduce pain in the feet and back.

Light Footwear 

As far as possible, it will help to go with lighter footwear. While we may not think too much about the weight of the footwear, the fact remains that the lighter the footwear, the less the fatigue and therefore the less the chances of tripping and falling over objects, particularly at the end of a long and tiring day. 

Clearly then, the choice of the right shoe is imperative to foot safety. With a little bit of effort, you can give those slips, trips, and falls, a miss! Here’s to your safety!