Ankle Ergo 2: Ankle Injury Risk Factors
Posted in: Ankle Series (1-4) Printable Version: Ankle Ergo 2: Ankle Injury Risk Factors .pdf
• Some of the most common ankle injury risk factors and injury mechanisms include:
o Slips or trips – commonly when people are unaware of the hazards around them (e.g. ice under snow, slippery substance on floor)
o Falls – commonly occur when people are stepping up or down from one level to another
o Jobs where people are required to be on their feet for their entire work day
o Tasks where people are required to kick or exert force with their feet
o Jumping down from one level to another (e.g. jumping off of stationary or moving equipment)
o Worker weight (if you can’t see your feet, how do you know what they are doing?)
• As we age, many of us have more problems with vision and balance. These factors can also contribute to situations where a slip, trip or fall can occur at work. Of course, we can compensate for the physical aging by becoming wiser!
• Being aware of our surroundings and focusing on the basics (maintaining a clean work environment, eliminating trip hazards, using three point contact when stepping up/down, and taking microbreaks when possible) can help keep our feet and ankles safe.