How to prevent injuries after the winter?

With spring just around the corner, everyone is getting ready to get of the couch and get back outside doing the activities they love. Whether it is golf, gardening, cycling, running or anything else it is important to make sure you are taking the proper steps to help prevent unwanted injuries and low back pain. Today we are going to go over a few things that everyone should be doing to prevent injuries as they climb out from under the cozy blankets on the couch and out into the sunshine.

First, it is important to take it a little easy right out of the gates. Chances are your activity level took a steep decline during the winter and you lost a little bit of the endurance that you acquired the summer before. Before you go all out trying to match what you could do at the end of last summer, make sure you ease your way back into it.

Second, before doing any activity make sure to do a proper warm up. For most cases this means going through the full range of motion of the activity at around half speed to help get your muscles warm. Or going work a walk or light jog to get your blood flowing. Follow this up by a gentle stretching routine to further increase your flexibility.

Third, make sure you are drinking lots of water. When the sun is out and its nice and warm outside we start to sweat. This can lead to dehydration if you are not replacing the lost fluids. Dehydration during exercise can lead to an increase risk of injury including cramping, muscle strains, and increased wear and tear on the joints. Hydration is key for a summer of injury free activity.

Lastly, if something doesn’t quite feel right or you might have a lagging injury left over from last season, get it checked out. As much as you might want to ignore what seem to be like minor issues at the beginning, these minor issues can easily progress to be serious problems that limit your abilities in the future. It is much easier to deal with minor issues than it is when your body is in crisis mode.

This last point is where we at Oakville Chiropractic Centre can help! If you still have any nagging injuries from the previous summer or feel like you need a tune up after winter come and get checked out so that you can enjoy the warm weather as much as you want without pain getting in your way.

Give us a call at 905-845-2291 or send us an email at info@oakvillechiropractic.com with any questions. We offer direct billing for your convenience.

Dr. Phil Wessel