Sidewalk Ice Dancing

We all know how slippery the sidewalks are in the winter. Falling on icy surfaces are "same-level" falls and two types of slips usually occur. One type of slip is where the heel of the forward foot contacts the walking surface, the front foot slips forward and the person falls backward. Another type of slip is when the rear foot slips backwards, the forward force is on the sole of the rear foot and as the rear heel is lifted the force moves to the front of the sole and the person falls.

Traction is the force that allows us to walk without slipping and traction is measured as the "coefficient of friction (COF)." To prevent slips and falls a high COF is needed between shoes and the walking surface. Shoes with soft rubber soles and heels with rubber cleats provide a high COF (0.40-0.50). On very slippery surfaces, falling down may be unavoidable, especially when you're in a rush, and no type of footwear may provide a safe COF.

On a positive note, think of all the cool new dance moves that are created when people have close calls. For instance, there's the Jazz Hands, the Disco Man, the Bear Crawl, the Pretty Princess, the Matrix Man, and the MJ. Maybe you have some of your own moves to add to the list.

Source: University of Florida IFAS Extension