Winter’s a comin’, and so is the risk for different kinds of foot and ankle injuries.

What could happen?

And how do you prevent these injuries so you don’t spend several weeks laid up on your recliner?

Find out below:

• Ankle Injuries from Slipping on Ice

We don’t have to deal with ice and snow nearly as much as the northern states. But, you can bet severe ankle sprains still happen here in DFW.

Complicating the situation is the fewer hours of sunlight, which makes ice even more difficult to see outside.

Make sure any route you walk outside is cleared and salted. Exercise extra caution if you go to an ice skating rink.

Remember, if it does get snowy and icy outside, boots have naturally extremely poor traction. It’s easy to slip with them on. To improve traction, scuff the bottom of your boots against rough concrete or gravel surfaces. You can also get special traction spray. You can also buy ice grips, which attach to the bottom of your boots or shoes.

• Stress Fractures

Still an intense exerciser during the cooler months? Realize that stress fractures continue to happen too. They don’t have to happen only because of a fall.

Even just standing for long periods can be enough for you to develop a stress fracture.

Give yourself enough rest, and make sure you pay special attention if you notice frequent pain that may indicate a stress fracture.

• Morton’s Neuroma

With this condition, you feel pain and burning in the ball of your foot. Typically, it happens around your third toe.

Footwear that’s too tight frequently causes this during winter. Simply buy comfortable, spacious footwear to fix this problem.

• Fungal Infections

Yep, they don’t hibernate during the winter like bears. Fungal infections actually thrive during the winter because people like to wear warm socks and shoes all day long. Also, gyms, locker rooms, and pedicure salons provide ripe opportunity to contract a fungal foot infection.

Give your feet time to breathe and air out each day. Wear footwear when you shower at the gym. And if you have to get a pedicure, make sure you only go to a salon with an impeccable reputation.

• Achilles Tendonitis

New Year’s Resolutions to lose weight and exercise more are all well and good. But if you haven’t exercised for some time, and you’re middle-aged, the new stress from the exercise can cause an achilles injury. In fact, this is the leading cause of torn achilles tendons.

If you’re going to get back into exercise, pace yourself. Or, talk to your doctor to develop a schedule that limits your risk of injury. And if you notice pain and soreness in your achilles heel, relax. Weight loss happens slowly over time, and not just in a single month.

Enjoy the winter. Stay safe. And follow these tips so you don’t find yourself sidelined by a painful or obnoxious injury!