You've got my empathy. 20 years ago, I slipped on an icy sidewalk on Yonge Street. The way I fell, I dislocated my left patella (flipped it inside out!), tore the patellar tendon, ripped my quad and stretched my MCL. Had surgery at Sunnybrook the next morning, wore 2 types of braces, 30 staples removed and 4 months' of PT. And yes, I was wearing good quality winter boots and always have been a cautious person when it comes to ice. Bad luck can happen to any of us at any time - especially on winter streets.