January 2019 | Dr. Horn

While you’re all geared up for winter and can’t wait to start playing your favorite seasonal sport, are you prepared to protect yourself from a potential orthopedic injury? In order to stay in the game, injury prevention is essential. At Dr. Horn Orthopedics, we understand that no one wants to be held back from their favorite winter sport, so we’ve laid out some tips to help prevent orthopedic injuries:Always Wear Your HelmetIf your favorite seasonal sport calls for a helmet, be sure to wear one at all times while playing. Simply wearing a helmet single-handedly reduces the risk of head injury by a significant amount. Helmets are responsible for absorbing force, along with dissapating the energy that may lead to a blunt trauma injury. In addition to reducing the risk of injury, helmets also reduce the overall severity of any damage incurred. Helmets are generally graded with the following points in mind:How well they withstand sharp and blunt impactsStrength retentionResistance to roll-offRemember to replace your helmet with a new one if you are involved in an impact or accident. Despite having no visible signs of damage, it may not be strong enough to be reused. Warm Up Before PlayingJust as with any other sport, winter sports require a bit of warming up before experiencing the actual rush of the game. Apart from preparing your body for vigorous activity, warm ups mimic the desired activity movements while reducing the risk of ligament sprains and strains significantly. To get the most out of your warm up, it’s best to begin your warm-up routine about 15 minutes prior to activity.Make sure you select exercises that are specific to the particular activity you’re going to do. Exercising before playing winter sports can help by:Increasing blood flow to the musclesImproving the body’s balance and stabilityIncreasing the core body temperature Wear the Right Kind of Gear and ClothingThis is the single most important safety tip for the winter sport season, especially for the beginners. Make sure you have the right type of protective gear for your sport, and make sure it fits well. For example, a high-impact winter sport will require head gear and mouth gear. Additionally, be sure to wear padding that will protect your bones and prevent an orthopedic injury.Appropriate clothing to wear when playing winter sports include several layers of light, loose, wind-proof, and water-proof clothes. This is essential to protect yourself from winds and changing temperatures which can cause the muscles to tense up leading to stiff joints that can become easily injured. Materials that keep moisture at bay include:WoolPolyesterPolypropyleneRemember to check for any hanging drawstrings or scarves that can get stuck in equipment, as this could lead to a serious accident or severe injuries. While following the above-mentioned precautions greatly reduces the risk of an orthopedic injury, any trauma or injury should be immediately checked out by a Baytown orthopedic doctor. At Dr. Horn Orthopedics our orthopaedic services are among the best in Baytown, Texas and the surrounding areas. Give us a call at (281) 837-8550.

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Use These Tips to Avoid an Orthopedic Injury When Playing Winter Sports

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