If we’re lucky, slips, trips and falls can just be slightly embarrassing.

In the worst case, they can be painful and life-changing.

Bruce Krentz, Health Promotions Coordinator with the Northern Health Region, has tips on preventing them.

“Proper footwear is a big one, walking slowly with small steps, keeping your hands free, using hand rails, walking where you should be walking, make sure you are keeping your walkways clear around your house and the big one, when you are falling, you gotta go for the soft parts. Try to land on your butt, maybe land on your shoulder. Try to stay away from your elbows and wrists or knees, stuff like that.”  

Slip-and-fall accidents rank among the most common property accidents in Canada.

The Canadian Institute for Health Information  reported over 162-thousand unintentional slip-and-fall injuries in 2020-2021. This represents nearly two-thirds  of all injury hospitalizations and emergency room visits for that year.

Most injured people were between 18 and 64,  followed closely by people between 65 and 84.