A slip happens when you lose your balance because there’s no friction between your foot and the surface you’re walking on. Common culprits include spilled liquids, ice and compacted snow, and overpolished flooring. On the other hand, a trip occurs when your foot catches something as you’re walking, like a child’s toy or a loose paving stone.

The end result is the same — a fall. The injuries you sustain as a result of your fall vary depending on factors like the surface you land on (bare concrete is likely to cause more damage than a thick carpet), your age and general health (older people are more likely to suffer fractures), and how you fall.

It’s instinctive to put an arm out when you fall to try and save yourself, so fractures and sprains of the arm and shoulder are common slip and fall injuries. Slips often result in falling on your back, while trips are more likely to make you fall forward. Therefore, slips often cause lower back problems, and trips can result in facial injuries.