Be Aware of These Common Causes of Injuries This Spring

With spring finally here, many people are ready to get outside and enjoy their favorite spring activities. Unfortunately, some of these activities can cause injuries if they're not done correctly. If you're ready to jump back into your favorite spring activities, this article is going to discuss a few common causes of injuries in spring so you can avoid them this season.

Common Causes of Spring Injuries
While there are many activities people enjoy doing when the weather gets nice, there are a few common causes of injuries that are popular when it comes to spring activities.

Yard work: One of the best things about spring is getting outside and doing some gardening and yard work. While this is generally a relaxing activity, it can also pose the risk of injury. Three of the most common areas affected while gardening are the back, knees, and shoulders. Because gardening and yard work involve a lot of repetitive motions, bending over, and kneeling, people often find themselves in pain after long periods of these exercises. Unfortunately, these seemingly minor injuries can become a more serious condition.

Falls: Spring is a common time for people to do some major cleaning around their houses. Whether it's cleaning the gutters of debris leftover from winter storms, repainting the house, or cleaning above cabinets and other neglected areas in the home, a common cause of injuries from these activities is falling. Many people don't use a ladder properly or try to stand on a chair or another unstable item. Falling can cause minor injuries, like bruises or sprains, or more serious injuries, like broken bones or lacerations that need stitches.

Exercise: Whether it's spring sports, running, or simply walking around the block, jumping right back into exercise after a long winter can lead to significant injuries. From overuse sports injuries to shin splints to runner's knee, many people experience pain when trying to get back into their exercise routines. Without the proper warm up and allowing the body to rest, these conditions can become a serious problem. It's important for people to let even the most minor injuries heal properly before getting back to exercising.

How to Prevent and Treat Injuries
Fortunately, most of these adult and childhood injuries can be prevented with the proper preparation. If you're exercising or playing sports, it's important to always wear the proper gear and ease back into the normal level of physical activity. When it comes to gardening and yard work, it's important to warm up beforehand and listen to your body. If you're struggling to kneel all day or use a certain tool, switch it up and figure out what works best for you. And when using ladders or doing something up high, never do it alone. With someone to assist you and hold the ladder, you'll be less likely to fall and get injured.

If you or someone in your family does happen to get injured, it's important to get quick help. Fortunately, urgent care centers can provide quick and efficient medical care. These centers are equipped to handle most injuries and four out of five of these centers offer fracture care services.

While it may be tempting to jump right back into your favorite spring activities, it's important to take care of your body to ensure you don't get hurt. And if you do sustain an injury, always make sure you get help right away so you can get back to enjoying your favorite activities as soon as possible.