The trick to balancing on slick sidewalks is to “walk like a penguin.”
At least, that’s the advice coming out of Little Baby’s Ice Cream in Northern Liberties.
Instinct tells us to do the opposite and center our weight mid-stride, which works on dry walkways.
However this tactic forces legs to split your body weight in half and rely on both feet to maintain balance — not the best idea for icy streets.
The local ice cream parlor posted a simple infographic on their blog to remind everyone to think of gravity and mimic penguins. Shifting one’s weight onto the front leg keeps people – and penguins – from slipping.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention backs up the penguin waddle claim, reminding people to also spread feet slightly to fortify the center of gravity.
With sidewalks freezing over Tuesday following the snow event Monday night, remember to stay smart and give yourself extra time to waddle to work.
Keep your hands out of your pockets and wear a puffy coat…so if you do fall, at least you can catch yourself and cushion your buns.
Greta Iverson 