Winter in Maine not only produces snow it also produces ice. Slips, falls, accidents and injuries occur every year because of ice. Slipping on ice can lead to serious injuries but there is a way to minimize your falls.

When you know the surface you are walking on is slippery, experts say ‘walk like a penguin’. If you ‘waddle’ it will keep your center of gravity over your front leg and help keep you on your feet.

They also say keep your hands out of your pocket and if you do fall, try 'not' to catch yourself with your hands, a lot wrists get sprained or broken that way. If you fall (and this is hard to do) keep your head and face away from the fall and make yourself as small as possible. The best thing to do is to make your body into a ball and try to fall on more meaty parts of the body and not knees or back.

All good advice, but slipping and falling on ice comes so unexpected and fast, it’s hard to react at all. The best advice the have is to wear shoes and boots with good traction, walk slow and always use handrails when walking up and down steps. And don’t forget to ‘waddle’.

More From B98.5