Slips and trips occur while walking. – Normal walking is a method of locomotion which involves using both legs in an alternating manner with at least one foot in contact with the ground at all times to provide support and propulsion.
Slipping while walking occurs when the coefficient of friction between the foot (or shoe) and the ground is insufficient to resist sliding along the walkway surface. Slipping oftentimes results in a loss of balance which initiates a fall. The impending fall can be avoided with rapid replacement of the sliding foot or by creating additional support (eg. grasping a handrail or placing the opposite foot).
Tripping while walking occurs when the swing foot is obstructed from being properly placed in a manner which creates an adequate base of support. The swing foot can be obstructed by striking the walking surface itself, by striking an object on the walking surface or by the introduction of an outside force. Often times, falls can be avoided after tripping by quickly replacing the obstructed foot or by planting the tripped foot and stepping with the trailing foot.
When a person trips, the swing foot becomes abruptly obstructed causing the CG to become unsupported by an inadequate BoS. If the tripped walker cannot regain balance by quickly replacing the tripped foot, quickly replacing the tripped foot with the
contralateral foot or by grasping additional support like a handrail, they fall in the direction of the previous path of the CG.
Injuries from slips and trips help to define the mechanism of injury. Slips most often injure the back of the body. Trips most often injure the front of the body. Additional factors always play a role. Below is a list of common injuries from Slipping or Tripping:
