Don’t Text & Walk!
The recent media attention to smartphone addiction and the similarities it has to drug and alcohol addiction have given rise to an increased awareness among the public of the dangers of using their addictive devices in situations requiring adept navigation. This can range from the sadly obvious situation of not looking at your phone while driving, to the less obvious ramifications of staring at your screen while crossing the street.
While distracted walking is an obvious danger, it seems that many people continue to go on blissfully unaware of the mayhem they are creating for themselves and others, which includes a large increase in the number of people visiting their podiatrist for ankle strains and sprains. Unfortunately, there is also a distinct increase in visits for more severe injuries that frequently involve major trauma including broken bones that often require extensive surgery.
Some of the things people seem to do now on a regular basis that once was laughable include:
- Walking against the signal and stepping into oncoming traffic
- Falling down the stairs
- Tripping over a curb
- Stupidly tumbling into a fountain and jumping out with phone and a thumbs up!
- Obliviously walking into lamp posts, pets, and road signs
Avoid the temptation of checking your mobile device while doing things that require your complete attention by placing such devices in your briefcase, rucksack, or backpack and wait until you arrive at your destination before checking for messages.
Many of these accidents are likely to involve an injury to your feet or ankles, so if you have suffered an injury to your feet or ankles after a distracted walking accident you should see a foot specialist to get the proper treatment. At Fit Feet for Life, our team of board-certified podiatrists has access to advanced technologies and years of experience to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, including heel pain, sports injuries, toe deformities, nail fungus, and plantar warts. Bonnie Sanchez, DPM, and Gregory Cook, DPM, provide high- quality foot and ankle care to patients in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area at our five offices conveniently located in Sun City Center, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and our two Tampa locations. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.