Holiday Accident Prevention

As you are all getting ready for your holiday celebrations remember to be careful with all of those decorations. There are several precautions that you can take to protect your feet from the festivities.

First, the lights that you hang out all around your house and on the trees are truly a beautiful sight. However, the process of putting them up and taking them down can be dangerous if you do not follow the proper procedures. Ladders are known to be precarious, flimsy devices if not positioned properly. Make sure that you are spreading out the legs and that you have someone standing at the foot of the ladder bracing it while you are on it. Falling from a ladder can lead to broken feet and legs. So, take the proper cautious actions so that you can enjoy your holidays cast free. If you or someone you know has struggled with falling around the house, you can also visit our fall prevention page on our website.

Second, when you are decorating the inside of your house, be very careful to make sure you are wearing your shoes the whole time. Stepping on things such as ornament hooks, pine tree needles and scissors from wrapping presents can lead to open wounds and getting things stuck in your feet. For each of these injuries, you may need stitches or to have whatever got stuck in your foot removed.

Finally, open flames such as candles and fireplaces can lead to burns. If you are building a fire for the fireplace or a bonfire, make sure that you are protecting your feet, because a hot ember can sear your skin very quickly. If you have open candles, make sure they are pushed back on the table or the countertops to prevent them from falling and splashing hot wax onto you.

Being precautious during this holiday season will help you to have a very happy holiday season. However, should an accident occur and you live in the Methuen, Chelmsford or North Wilmington, Massachusetts, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you at his office and get you back up and on your feet. We are also happy to announce our North Andover, Massachusetts office located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845.