How can I protect my lower body from hazards as I move around my home?

Lower Body Protective Technique

If you learn to use the following Lower Body Protective Technique correctly, your arm will act as a "bumper" to protect the lower part of your body from kitchen counters, table edges, nightstands, and the backs of chairs.

It's important to remember that this technique will only partially protect your stomach or groin area, and it will not warn you about approaching drop-offs, such as steps and stairs. For maximum protection, you should use a combination of upper [3] and lower body protective techniques.

The technique:

1. Position your stronger arm downward, as if you were pointing at the floor.
2. Position your hand with your palm in front of and facing the opposite thigh, approximately 10-12 inches from your body.
3. You can estimate this distance by visualizing a shoebox or ruler placed lengthwise between your thigh and your palm.
4. Curl your fingers, spread them slightly apart, and keep your wrist straight with your palm facing your body so that the back of your hand will make contact with any object you encounter.
5. Try to keep your fingers relaxed while walking.
6. Keep maintaining your hand and arm in this position, so that your lower body is partially protected.
7. Initially, you may be able to hold this position for only a minute or two, but with repeated practice you will be able to maintain this position for longer periods of time.
8. If your arm becomes tired, you can switch and use your other arm, repeating the previous steps to maintain the correct position.

Related Topics

See also the Upper Body Protective Technique [4], the Trailing Technique [5]