Healing Winter Injuries

Winter is a wonderful time of the year for many reasons. You get to celebrate the holidays, watch or play winter sports, and feast on your favorite comfort food. However, wintertime also means snow, ice, and cold weather, which can be hazardous and lead to various injuries.

Healing winter injuries often takes time and patience. You’ll want to take care of your body properly and seek medical attention if you suffer severe injuries. At REACH Rehab + Chiropractic in Plymouth, MI, we can help relieve pain, discomfort, and musculoskeletal problems related to a winter injury. Let’s look at some of the most common wintertime injuries and what you can do to prevent or treat them.

The long winter months might not be too bad if you live in Florida. In Michigan, though, with average temperatures below freezing, a lot of people just want to stay inside and keep warm.

Unfortunately, waiting for warmer weather and remaining inactive for extended periods of time can affect your physical health. For example, your muscles may weaken, and your joints may grow achy without proper exercise. This can leave your body susceptible to injuries.

Staying active during the winter can be challenging and may require specific lifestyle changes. Here are some practical ways to get exercise and avoid injury during the winter:

• Set up a home gym
• Join a gym
• Shovel snow (with good form)
• Take up a winter sport or activity
• Go for brisk (literally!) walks when the sidewalks are clear

If you love ice hockey or skiing/snowboarding, you might be looking forward to winter all year long. Winter sports are loads of fun, but even top-tier athletes suffer injuries. The last thing you want is to spend your favorite season not being able to do the things you love.

Winter sports injuries can range from mild cuts and bruises to severe fractures and dislocations. You may need extensive treatment and rest when healing winter injuries related to sports. Some of the most common sports injuries include the following:

• Concussions
• Sprained ankles
• Fractures
• Back Pain
• Neck Pain
• Knee injuries
• Dislocated shoulders

Many of these injuries are preventable. Caring for your body during the off-season and using the right equipment and techniques will help you stay safe during your favorite winter sport activities.

Slips and falls account for a significant portion of injuries during the winter. For instance, you could lose your balance on an icy stairway or sidewalk. Parking lots can also be serious hazards after it rains or snows.

Seniors are especially vulnerable to slip-and-fall accidents. Healing winter injuries can take weeks and even months for aging adults.

The obvious way to avoid slip-and-fall injuries is to stay mindful of how you walk and where you travel. Walk slowly with short steps. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination and hold onto railings when walking down outdoor stairs.

The less obvious was to prevent slip-and-falls is to improve your balance and stability by strength training at least once per week, especially for strength training for older individuals.

Strength training offers a myriad benefits — such and mental and emotional — more than balance, strength, weight, and injury prevention.

Back pain during the winter is an all-too-common issue. It is often the result of inactivity and long hours spent indoors. However, cold weather can also cause your muscles and ligaments to tighten, creating tension that leads to ongoing aches and pains.

The good news is you can do several things to prevent back pain:

• Do a simple low back stretch a few times per day
• Move frequently throughout the day
• Take breaks from sitting during the workday
• Use a reminder to reset your body’s postural tension
• Start a basic stretching routine
• Implement a more advanced mobility routine

REACH Rehab + Chiropractic is the go-to option for individuals suffering from winter injuries in and around Plymouth, MI. Our experienced chiropractors know how to heal injuries from slips and falls and the best treatments for healing winter injuries. We’ll help you get stronger and healthier with stress-free solutions to all your chiropractic needs.

Contact us at REACH Rehab + Chiropractic by calling (734) 530-9134 to schedule an appointment.