Slick Detroit not just for politics anymore

November 23, 6:55 PMDetroit City Buzz ExaminerWendy Clem

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Casts fill the receptacles of Dr. Christopher Zingas this fall.

 

The slippery slope in Detroit this season isn't just found within its politics. Area accidents caused by slip and falls are also imminent if the rumblings about salt shortages this winter carry any validity.

Yes, Detroit is physically set over copious salt mines, but salt shortages in other American cities promise to gouge those reserves. Be braced for safety problems across the board as well as the potential rise of consumer salt costs through classic supply-and-demand pricing.

Already the established cold temperatures will greet Turkey Day, and stories of winter-related problems permeate media. Not only might road safety be at issue, but also fewer homeowners and businesses could maintain their properties by salting.

That equals less sure-footedness while we're out and about this season. 

Digital x-ray displays make bone diagnoses portable and quick

for busy orthopedists tending to slip-and-fall victims.

And, it would add more statistics to the already burgeoning numbers of bone injuries within the tri-county area. Thanks to autumn sports, slick surfaces causing falls, and early ice conditions, orthopedists are - er- hopping, even if their patients aren't.

Dr. Christopher Zingas designates Fridays as "Fracture Fridays." His orthopedic surgery office in south St. Clair Shores literally brims with people from all over the tri-county region.

They come by car, cab or medical transport and most arrive limping -- with crutches, wearing casts, bandages or braces -- and in various stages of new swelling or tentative healing. The office looks like a convention gathering of Thursday's Partyers with Deep Regret, except these injuries tend to be of the every-day variety.

"I slipped down the stairs; just lost my balance," said one new patient between painful pokes at his pre-cast leg. 

"Went off a bad curb exiting a building," said a moon-booted patient.

"Tripped in the yard," came another sheepish reply.

Those people who were a little further along in their treatment were there to have casts removed. Soon the waste receptacles were spilling over with used purple, pink and blue casts, gratefully left behind by their former owners.

Staff flits from patient to patient, applying casts (there is a choice of five colors), sharing x-ray news, and sawing off casts as well as vacuuming up the debris.

Non-plussed by the bustle, Dr. Zingas moves among the cubicled examining area, explaining proposed treatments. One of his tools is a portable digital viewing screen that displays x-ray results.
"Some days, we have five people just putting on casts," he explains.  "It's really crowded on those days."

With business far from limp for the orthopedists, what's the average citizen to do? Forewarning may help; there seem to be some common traits that accompany slipping injuries.
 

Bruises, sprains, strains, twists and fractures are some of the most common injuries to the foot or leg from falls. Footwear is another component, with high heels, slippery soles, and faddy shoes or boots creating greater chances for falls - especially among women. Feet prone to have falls might have taken on deformity over the years due to ill-fitting shoes, or as a result of poor diet or heredity health factors. Women, say experts, run the greatest risk of developing these.

Couch potatoes normally used to vegetating instead of percolating do more than race or exercise; they run risks. Failing to warm up or stretch before activity is often a culprit. With jarring impacts to the body come stress fractures - especially due to running, jumping or activities requiring quick directional changes. Although active people can also suffer from this injury, the common denominator is that these breaks can be difficult to diagnose and take days or weeks to zero in on.
 

Those with disease or emerging problems with calcium deficiencies face higher risk of breaks or lingering weakness contributing to or as a result of falls. Osteoarthritis and diabetes weaken body systems, and menopause can play a role, too. Poor circulation, high blood pressure and loss of skin elasticity are additional factors.

Then, there are the additional damages created by teetering on crutches, or falling while in a cast.
 

The best bet is to be forewarned and forearmed. Watch where you're going, wear sensible footwear and create your own traction safety even if the roads or walks aren't accident-free.
 

What's that state motto we learned as kids? "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you."
 

Well, there ya go. Especially during winter.

This admonition hovers over examining rooms at the local office                                                                   of Dr. Christopher Zingas and his associates.