Before you know it, New York will be covered in blankets of fresh powder. While many people see winter as a time to bundle up and hide from the cold, those with an adventurous outdoor spirit find the first snows of the winter exciting. It means the winter sports season is here. From hockey to skiing and snowboarding, winter activities can help keep you healthy and active, even when the weather turns bitter.
While winter sports are fun and thrilling, they can also be dangerous if you aren’t prepared. At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, our sports medicine experts have provided these injury prevention tips to get you through the winter sports season with less pain and fewer injuries.
Winter Sports Injury Prevention Tips
Data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission indicates that in 2022, nearly 124,700 winter sports-related injuries were treated in emergency rooms across the U.S. Skiing, snowboarding, and ice hockey were the most significant culprits.
Winter may be a magical time, but if you don’t prepare, winter sports injuries can leave you watching the snowfall from your window instead of enjoying all the fun. Thankfully, there are proactive steps you can take to help head off significant winter sports-related injuries before they occur. Before you hit the freshly fallen powder, consider the following:
- Don’t Skip the Warm-Up – Remember to warm up before you hit the cold. Always take the time to warm up your muscles and stretch to help reduce the risk of injury and overexertion. Cold muscles are more injury-prone. Engaging in moderate exercise or stretching helps to raise your core temperature and enhance muscle elasticity. By warming up, you increase blood flow, prepare your body for better performance, improve flexibility, and reduce stress on your heart. Warm-ups are especially vital before engaging in high-intensity sports like hockey.
- Wear Appropriate Safety Gear – You can mitigate the risk of significant injury by always wearing the appropriate safety gear for your sport of choice. Helmets and goggles are essential for skiers and snowboarders, and helmets and pads are also necessary for contact sports like hockey.
- Check Your Gear Every Year – Wearing safety gear is a must. However, you should also take the time to check your gear every season. Make sure your helmet, pads, and other winter sports equipment fit and are in good condition. Replace ill-fitting or cracked equipment or if the foam or cushioning is disintegrating or otherwise deteriorating. Old or broken safety equipment can’t protect you.
- Keep hydrated – Preventing injuries and staying in peak condition means giving your body what it needs. It is easy to stay hydrated in warm weather, but it can be challenging to remember to drink water when you are cold. However, when you work, you are still losing fluids. Drink plenty of water and other fluids before, during, and after physical activity.
- Don’t Overplay Your Hand – It may be tempting to take on that black diamond run, but don’t take on physical challenges your body isn’t ready to handle. Try to stay within your skill set. You are more likely to suffer significant injuries when you try to go above and beyond.
- Break time – Your body needs time to heal and recover. Preventing injuries means knowing when to take a break and rest. Prolonged strenuous activity in the cold can cause fatigue, and your body can experience a dip in performance. Include periods of rest, increase your protein intake, and stay hydrated. Your body will thank you.
An Appointment with a Skilled Physician Is Only a Phone Call Away
Sometimes, you can take all the precautions in the world and still suffer a winter sports-related injury. If you are injured or experiencing significant muscle or joint pain, it is time to seek help from the Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine team.
Contact our office today and schedule an appointment.