Six Common Winter Injuries and How to Avoid Them
Article featured on Froedtert & Medial College of Wisconsin.
Winter is approaching! Find out how to avoid common injuries. Cold, snow and ice are part of living in Wisconsin in the winter, so it can be challenging to stay healthy at this time of year. Emergency departments often see people suffering from winter-related injuries, some of which are preventable.
1. Slips and Falls
Icy outdoor surfaces make people vulnerable to slips and falls. Common injuries include broken bones, hurt backs or sprained joints. Head injuries are also common.
Being mindful of how you walk in the winter can decrease your chances of slipping on ice. Take short, slow steps with slightly bent knees — as if you’re waddling like a penguin — and extend your arms to your sides. Leaving your hands in your pockets will make it harder to keep your balance. Use handrails whenever possible, and treat every walkway as though it has black ice.
Appropriate care after a fall is always important, and this is especially true for older adults. Older people, especially those over 65, can be severely injured as a result of what in younger people might constitute a minor fall, such as slipping while stepping off a curb. Broken hips, head injuries and other serious injuries can significantly impact overall health, well-being and longevity and should not be underestimated. An urgent care clinic may be appropriate if you think you have a sprain or strain. Many minor injuries can be treated by rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE). Call your primary care doctor for advice, or try an online virtual clinic.
If you fall and are unable to get up, think you may have a broken bone or are in severe pain, you probably need emergency care. This is especially important if you have or think you may have a head injury, as it may be serious. Seek emergency care if you have a loss of consciousness, a severe headache after the fall, nausea and vomiting, confusion or disorientation after the injury, increased sleepiness, seizures or are on blood-thinning medications.
2. Back and Neck Injuries
Shoveling can lead to neck and back injuries, which is why proper form is important. Instead of lifting the snow onto the shovel, push the snow away. Protect your back by keeping a slight bend in your knees. You may also want to warm up your muscles first by stretching.
3. Heart Attacks
Shoveling snow or using a snow blower can be strenuous work, especially for someone whose heart may not be used to that amount or type of exercise. If you have one or more risk factors for heart disease, avoid overexerting yourself in cold weather. That means taking frequent breaks from shoveling or having someone else do it for you, and going inside if you start to overheat.
If you experience shortness of breath, chest pain or any other heart attack symptoms, you should call 911 immediately. If you haven’t seen your primary care doctor in a while, it may be time for a yearly checkup to ensure you are in tip-top shape!
4. Hypothermia
The body does an excellent job of maintaining a constant temperature, but extended exposure to cold can overwhelm its auto-regulation. Hypothermia occurs when a person’s body temperature drops below 95°F. If you must be outside during frigid weather, wear plenty of layers and stay as dry as possible. Elderly individuals and young children are often at more risk, but hypothermia can affect anyone. Alcohol use can also make you more susceptible to hypothermia.
Warnings signs of hypothermia include shivering, loss of dexterity, impaired thinking, high pulse and increased breathing. Shivering is one way the body maintains its temperature. As hypothermia progresses, the body’s shivering mechanism may stop working, people may get more confused and the heart can stop working normally. If you think someone is suffering from hypothermia, call 911, gently bring them out of the cold and remove any wet clothing. If you think someone does not have a pulse, call 911 and start CPR.
5. Frostbite
Frostbite can cause permanent damage to the body as skin, nerves and tissue freeze at the site of injury. Your extremities — hands, feet, ears or tip of your nose — are most vulnerable. Avoid prolonged time outdoors in frigid weather. If you must go outside, wearing gloves, warm socks and hats can help prevent frostbite.
The first signs of frostbite can be numbness, clumsiness and cold skin. The skin can also appear discolored or turn black. Treatment often includes rewarming (as long as there is no risk of re-freezing), wound care, and pain control. If you believe you may be experiencing frostbite, seek emergency care.
6. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide is often called “the silent-killer” because it is an odorless, colorless gas found in exhaust fumes of carbon containing fuels (gas, wood, coal, etc). Inhaling the fumes causes the carbon monoxide to build up in your blood stream. Carbon monoxide decreases delivery of oxygen to your body. This can lead to brain and heart problems. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, nausea, dizziness and tiredness.
The risk for carbon monoxide poisoning increases in the winter due to an increased use of fume-producing products like fireplaces, furnaces and kerosene heaters. To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, have your home heating system inspected every winter and make sure any fuel-burning devices, like heaters or gasoline generators, are properly ventilated. If you have a fireplace, clean your chimney and flue annually. Do not “warm up” your car in a garage, as this can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide. Install a carbon monoxide alarm or test your existing alarm.
If you suspect someone may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, get them outdoors and call 911. Fire departments have devices to test for carbon monoxide and can initiate medical care if you need it.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
