Advice to walk leaning forward so centre of gravity is on front leg comes as Germany braces for plummeting temperatures

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

With temperatures forecast to plummet in Germany over the next few days, trauma surgeons in the country are telling residents how best to avoid slipping on icy pavements: walk like penguins.

The technique involves leaning the torso forward so that the centre of gravity is on the front leg, according to an advisory published on the website of the German Society of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Diagram advising people how to walk like a penguin

An attached drawing explains that when humans walk normally, body weight is split almost evenly over both legs, which the surgeons say increases the risk of a person losing their balance and falling on slippery surfaces.

In 2014, authorities in Berlin were criticised for failing to grit the capital’s pavements despite warnings of freezing conditions. As a result, rescue services received more than 750 emergency calls and A&Es were overstretched dealing with patients with bone fractures.

Temperatures in Berlin are expected to plunge well below zero on Saturday.