How to Avoid Winter Sports Injuries | Peak Physical Therapy | MA

While many view the winter as a time to stay indoors and endure something similar to hibernation, there are plenty who are avid winter enthusiasts who partake in wintertime sports and other outdoor activities. Skiing, snowboarding, sledding, hockey, and figure skating are all great ways to stay active during the colder months but can result in some serious injuries. Peak Physical Therapy, your local office for the physical therapy Hingham MA area, has how to avoid sports injuries this winter in this article.

What Injuries Can Occur During Winter Sports?

The most commonly treated injuries that stem from winter activities include sprains, strains, dislocations, and fractures. The majority of these injuries can easily be prevented with a bit of common sense, caution, and preparation. Understanding how these common injuries might come about and ways to avoid them is a good first step in preparing for hitting the slopes, ice, and snow.

• Knee Injuries. Skiers are more prone to knee injuries as the sport involves more twisting and turning. Hearing or feeling a pop of the joint is a good indicator of an ACL, PCL or Meniscal injury. Training the muscles in and around the knee can help prevent injuries, as well as warming up and stretching the day of.
• Head Injuries. Any fall whether it is on hard ice or fluffy snow can cause an injury to the head or neck. The aggressive jarring motion the body and brain go through during a fall hit, or sudden stop is enough to cause whiplash or a concussion. The symptoms of a head injury may not be immediately apparent but can have lifelong effects if not treated properly.
• Back Injuries. Similar to head injuries, back injuries can happen during a fall, fast twisting, or any jarring motion the body undergoes. Muscle strains, vertebrae or disc displacement, or even more serious back injuries can occur. These injuries typically show symptoms instantly and can do serious damage if not diagnosed and treated with care. Building up the back and abdominal muscles prior to partaking in winter activities can aid in preventing injuries.
• Hand Injuries. Your fingers, hands, and wrists are susceptible to sprains, tears, and fractures while partaking in winter sports. When skating your hands are used to brace a hard fall, which can result in a sprain or fracture. When skiing, your fingers can get caught in the strap of the ski pole during a fall. This is actually so common that it has coined the name Skier’s Thumb. Simple ways to prevent these types of injuries are to embrace the fall, rather than trying to catch yourself. Ensure that your ski strap stays below your wrist to prevent the pull of your thumb away from your hand.

How Can Peak Physical Therapy Help?

While not every injury is preventable, keeping up a routine exercise regime, learning how to fall properly, and warming up by stretching can greatly reduce your chance of leaving the slopes with aches and pains. In the case of an injury, Peak Physical Therapy is prepared to serve the physical therapy Hingham MA area with our Sports Therapy Program. After initial diagnosis and speaking with the patient, the experienced team of physical therapists will create an individual rehab plan to get you back to the sports you love- even stronger than before. Continuing to partake in physical therapy Hingham MA treatment plan can help athletes avoid injuries to come by building muscle, agility, and flexibility.  

Peak Physical Therapy, MA

Our South Shore Physical Therapy practice specializes in physical therapy including many specialty programs including return-to-sports, vestibular, pelvic health, post-concussion, aquatics, and more. Locations include physical therapy Quincy, MA, Norwell, MA, Hanover, MA, Pembroke, MA, and Braintree, MA, Scituate, MA and covers the physical therapy Hingham MA and Weymouth MA areas. Our specialized programs combined with state-of-the-art facilities allow us to meet the unique needs of our local patients and achieve the fastest results. If you are unsure whether this type of treatment can help you, we offer a no-obligation FREE injury screening. Click here for more information.