Winter can be an especially dangerous time of the year if you don’t exercise with caution in such harsh temperatures. Let’s also not forget how important it is to exercise according to your individual fitness level in order to reduce the risk of injury. Advance PT provides physical therapy on Long Island with services such as fitness evaluations to determine your specific needs and fitness level.
Some of the most common injuries among athletes that participate in winter sports are injuries to the upper extremities. According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, a thumb ligament tear is one of the most common injuries of the upper extremities. An injury like this can be caused by falls and improper hand placement on your ski poles. Treatments can include casts, splints, and even surgery– which might leave you unable to ski for the rest of the season.
An experienced and effective physical therapist on Long Island can provide you with the tools that will help you to prevent injuries– proper technique, balance correction, functional capacity evaluations and more.
Safety Tips for Ski and Snowboarding Season:
- Remember that just because it’s cold out, doesn’t mean that the sun is hiding. The sun reflects right off of the snow and can be much stronger than you think. Use sunscreen and proper UV protection to avoid damaging rays and sunburns.
- Dress in layers! Harsher temperatures will make you more susceptible to nerve-damaging, painful frostbite.
- 60% of body heat is lost through your head, so make sure to wear a hat or a headband.
- Ski within your fitness capacity- otherwise you will risk injuries and fatigue.
- Remember to warm up your muscles before partaking in your winter sport.
- Obtain a proper fitness evaluation to make sure that you are physically fit enough to withstand a long day of skiing or snowboarding.
For a fitness evaluation and/or a functional capacity evaluation, contact Advance PT to make an appointment with a physical therapist on Long Island.
