These are the most common injuries that occur during the holidays
Avoid "Santa Sudges" and sad with these protective tips that keep you safe.
The winter months bring holiday joy ... and potentially the pain related to the holidays. Setting up decorations, travel campaign trip, party with family and friends, whip elaborate meals, fronding (or taming) snow - all these honored traditions can wreak havoc on your body if you are not careful. Good news: Most winter injuries are so common that they are easily avoidable with some precautions. Eat this, not that! Health has asked doctors at the national level to reveal the holiday injuries they see most often and how you can make sure this season is memorable for the right reasons.
Lower back pain
According to the US Consumer Products Safety Board, nearly 15,000 injuries - or 240 per day in November and December - are linked to holiday decoration. The part of the body that wears the weight of everything that reaches, twisting and in a cap: your back. "All the extra lift and decoration can come with a painful price, if people are not cautious," says Richard Barnes, Director of the Clinic ofPhysical sound therapy groupIn Redmond, Washington. "Our clinics PT fill each year right now with people looking for pain relief induced by vacation, but there are also things that people can do ahead to avoid holiday injuries municipalities. "
RX: Barnes advises the preparation of the season with basic work (such as forearm boards, glaula bridges and table presses). This will help strengthen your core and increase the amount of weight that your back can carry comfortably. End you stretching your back (lie on your back and bring your knees to your stomach for 30 seconds) and the legs (bend and try touching the ground, the head niquette as close to your body as possible 15 seconds).
Lifting injuries
Whether you are boxes up, shopping bags, holiday trees or suitcases, winter months bring tons of loss-related injury opportunities - they are so common Barnes and colleagues nicknamed the phenomenon "Santa is suffering".
RX: Lift objects with your feet to the shoulder-width, a foot slightly before the other. Squat and lift up with your legs - not your back. Keep charging near your body. "Twenty books held at the length of the arm exert as much force as 50 pounds that 50 pounds are close to your body," says Barnes. When you put the load, squat them; Do not bend your back. Holiday trees must always be transported by at least two people.
Snow shovel
The shoveled snow can lead to a range of wounds, from a back height to a heart attack. The latter is a serious phenomenon: according toHARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL, pushing a shovel or a strong snow blower is a trigger known for the heart attack. The cold weather can increase blood pressure, interrupt the blood flow to the heart and make blood more clot. More than 100 fatal cardiac crises occur each year.
RX: If you have or are at high risk of heart disease, avoid shoveling the snow. A 2017 study by the United States Children's Hospital went further, saying that the snow shovel is too dangerous for anyone over 55 to try. This year, you may want to offer a relative to a neighboring teenager or cocoa and pocket money to keep your alley clear.
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Ladder falls
To bite Christmas lights to organize interior decorations and garnish the Christmas tree, the winter months are when the scales come out of the risk of falls.
RX: Make sure the ladders are on a flat and regular surface that is not cluttered with debris. When decorating low and medium heights, opt for a stool or a utilitarian ladder. Avoid the first two dams if you use an extension portion for the outdoor decoration. "And remember the 1: 4" rule, "said Barnes. "The bottom of the ladder must be at a foot of the wall at each scale that the scale increases."
Painty feet
"Foot pain is very common This period of the year", explains Bruce Pinker, DPM, AACFAS, FAPWCA, DABPM, a certified board of the board withProgressive feet careAt New York. "Women suffer considerably during the holidays due to the wearing of high heels or shoes for events and holidays. Often, this leads to a balloon pain from the foot of metatachsalgia or bursitis and ankle agreements can occur due to instability on high heels. "
RX:"The best way to avoid feet discomfort and injury is to wear more sensitive shoes - heels are not up to two inches and a half," explains Pinker. "Avoid narrow-end shoes and use a padded lining or insert inside the shoes to increase comfort." If you suffer an injury, a massage and ice can help you. Wrap a sprain with ACE bandage. If pain does not connect, a podiatrist can provide help via physical therapy, custom orthoses or cortisone injections.
Depression
"A common complaint during the holiday season is the depression about a loved one who perhaps deceased," said Amber Robins, MD, a family medicine doctor certified by the board withYour doctors online. "As family and friends come together, feelings of loss can also occur. The winter may also be a period of isolation, because many people stay at home because of it being colder outdoors . It can also lead to depression. "
RX: Register with your friends and family to discuss how they really do. And be attentive to the signs of depression in themselves - and yourself. Chronic bad mood, feelings of despair or disinterest in previously appreciated activities could mean that it is time to check with a health care provider for relief.
Childhood injuries
"It is important to keep the security in mind, especially for children, during the holidays," says Cherilyn Cecchini, MD, a certified pediatrician of the board withYour doctors online. "Although holiday-specific injuries, such as burns of open flames or hot food dishes, are common, it is important to remember that general" daily "injuries also occur frequently during the holiday season."
RX: "If you visit another house with children, check areas that can pose a danger, such as power outlets or stairs, and the safeguarding of these," says Cecchini. "Make sure the drugs are stored in a safe place, apart from the reach of children. Encourage fast cleaning, especially if adults drink alcohol or smoking tobacco products, to prevent children to enter these substances. "
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Accidents related to travel fatigue
"Travel through time zones, late hours and poor driving conditions all contribute to an increased risk of automotive accidents or any accident for machines, a knife or an ax On the rise, "says Paul Weinberg, MD.
RX: Check out a lot of sleep this holiday season. If you are traveling, give yourself the time to rest before and after reaching your destination. If you feel tired, do not commit yourself to risky or physical activities before you feel completely alert.
Wrapped ankles
"For some families, playing football is as much as a tradition that Turkey and Cranberry sauce in the shape of CAN (my personal favorite)," says Michael Richardson, MD, ofDoctorIn Boston. "With the sport comes sports injuries, so make sure you stretch and play in a responsible way. A common injury that I see are torn ankles."
RX:"If you ride your ankle, it is better to stop playing, wrap your ankle in a Bandage Ace, ice, raising it and taking ibuprofen for pain," says Richardson. "You can wait a bit to see a health professional, but if you can not stand weight on the ankle or have a tenderness at the point on the bone, you may have fractured your ankle and should see a professional health as soon as possible. "
Indigestion
"After a marathon of dishes and delicious desserts, the most common complaint I hear is indigestion," says Richardson. "This can be a burning or pressure sensation in your stomach or chest, sometimes accompanied by nausea."
RX: "Try tea or flat soda with ginger to set your stomach," says Richardson. "If you need a medicine, go with famotidine (pepcid) as it is fast and should adjust the acid of the stomach relatively quickly - omeprazole (or prilosec) takes a few days to work." Number the thoracic pain that worsens or is accompanied by shortness of breath, pain with the jaw, arm pain or a general sense of fatigue; This could mean a heart attack and deserves immediate medical attention.
Stress
"The holidays can be a good time to relax, but for some, see a family again can still bring stress and aggravate your mood," says Robertson. "It's good to have a match plan before arriving at your family's house, in case an event provocating stress occurs."
RX: "If you ever get to a point where you need a pause from your family, take a walk or run a race," says Robertson. "A little air can be everything you need to come back in the minds of holidays."
Dental injuries
"Some of the traditional preferred treats of the party - traditional treats, hard candies, caramels and caramels and crispy breads such as Biscotti and Bruschetta - can cause teeth, fittings, crowns and even prostheses, to crack and break, "says Mike Golpa, DDS, a dentist withG4 by Golpain Las Vegas. "Crunching of the tremendous treats is quite obvious, but many do not think with sweet and more selective treats like potential dangers. The danger comes when you remove the sticky kindness that has settled and between your teeth. The pulling of your teeth. By pulling it in this way. Damage teeth and dental investments. "
RX: "Your best bet to cross the holidays without an emergency visit to the dentist's office is to avoid these foods, or at least take care of eating them to chew on both sides of your mouth and in the same place," says GOLPA.
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Cut your fingers
"Cooking accidents are all too common" during the holidays, "said Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, FAAD, a certified dermatologist of the Council in Los Angeles withSKINSAFE dermatology and skin care. "Cooking for family and friends is fun, but time constraints, large quantities, limited cuisine spaces and gadgets that you do not normally use can increase your risk of accidentally deciding, cutting, grissing and / or burning fingers. "
RX: Shainhouse advises ingredients of the hand in a form of "claw" when you cut. "This will protect your fingers and the smooth surface of your dorsal fingers can serve as a guide for the knife," she says. Hold everything you trace with a mandolin with a fork or a vegetable tool, and wear a glove when using a rasp.
Frostbite
The grouping is a serious business skin exposed to cold and snow can develop a surface injury to deeper structures such as fats, muscles and nerves. "This mainly involves exposed areas, such as nose, lips, ears, cheeks and chin, but can also affect your fingers and toes," says Shainhouse. "Damage can occur on minutes at cold exposure hours. Pain can last months and if the fabric is too badly damaged, it may require amputation."
RX:"Cover a lot of your exposed skin as possible when you go outside outside in the cold cold and wear layers," says Shainhouse. "Stay dry and remove wet clothes as soon as possible." Avoid nicotine and alcohol when you go out in the cold; nicotine builds blood vessels, while alcohol their dilate. Both can aggravate frostbite.
Dehydration
"Many of my patients think that dehydration can only happen in summer. However, it's quite common in winter too when you work outside the exit hunt, shovel or decorating", explains Tim Mynes, MD, medical director of the region ofMEDEXPRESS urgent care. "We tend to make the liner before heading out where it's cold, but we forget to remove clothes when we start to warm up and move."
RX: "I always recommend wearing light layers that can be removed to prevent overheating," explains Mynes. "And even if you may not feel thirsty when you are outside this winter, always take a bottle of water with you to make sure you stay hydrated."
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To burn
"While candles and lights are a fixation of holiday decorations, it is important to put safety first, because inappropriate use can cause not only burns and electric shocks, but also fire risks" , explains Mynes.
RX: "First of all, during the string of the lights outside or your home, make sure to use indoor lights for indoor and outdoor lights for the outside. It seems obvious, but it is is an easy mix, "explains Mynes. "Before strengthening all the lights, do an in-depth check for all ropes and son sitting in storage since last winter, sometimes they can become damaged and become a potential fire risk." Turn off the candles before leaving a room.
Eat too much
"Among the holidays, people often eat more than they are used to, as well as foods they are not used to, especially foods with a greater fat and salt content," explains Galit Sacajiu, MD, MPH, toElitra HealthAt New York. "This can be particularly dangerous for people with diabetes, hypertension or congestive heart failure."
Eat this, not that! Health:"One way to help mitigate the effects of the trop-meal is to take a walk, whether before or after the meal," says Sacajiu. "Individuals should also increase their liquid consumption to compensate for the effects of high salt content. When entering your holiday meals, be sure to search for first signs of symptoms and contact your care provider immediately health that may need to adjust your medications. in the short term. "
Snowless injuries
"Snow-blower injuries are common during the holiday season. These can be as simple as small cuts up to finger amputations, "said Kate Eisenberg, MD, family doctor and epidemiologist in Rochester, New York.
RX: "The most important thing for prevention is to avoid placing hands near the blade and always use a stick or other tool to erase the bite snow," says Eisenberg. "It's also important not to drink alcohol while using your blower!"
Falls related to Booze
In winter, alcohol flows more freely and stacked gentle wounds. "Around the holidays, we get people who enter my office to become too drunk with holidays and falling - yes, it's a real thing!" said Dr. Kellen Skantlebury, DPT, CSCS,Fit Club NYAt New York. "We have treated patients with fractured cuffs and fractured ankles to fall and down the borders while being intoxicated after their party festival."
RX: Know when to say when, especially when you walk on snow and ice.
ACL tears
"Many people have family traditions to ski or snowboarding during the holidays," says Scoantlebury. "Several times, especially with skiing, we finish treating patients who have torn their LCA. It usually happens with falls and we see it with our more experienced skiers."
RX: With ACL tears, surgery is usually necessary to provide complete recovery, followed by physical therapy. SCANTLEBURY recommends some exercises that can strengthen your hips to reduce your risk of LCD injuries, including lateral strip walks, bridges with a group around the knees and side ski jumps. If you are a start skier, wear suitable equipment and take classes before hitting the slopes.
The delay effect
"The most common" injury "that I see around the holidays is really just sick people because of something called the effect of the decline," saysAnita Wang, MD, an emergency medicine and an integrative doctor in Laguna Beach, California. "This happens when the body produces an immune response - as we have fallen sick or feel a type of headaches or headaches - just after a stressful event has been soothed. For example, you may have Completed Thanksgiving accommodation, remained over the entire gift packaging night, or just finished a trip to the shopping center for the purchase of last minute gift. Our bodies are often very well supported in stress until We finally relaxed and stop to recover. The effect of the drop corresponds to the equivalent of going from 100 mph to a dead stop in a car. It's not good for your car, And it's not good for your body. "
RX: "We usually crush on the couch and we do nothing days after the success of our great holiday event, which is often when the difficulty strikes, whether it is a disease, inflammation or a sensitivity reaction," explains Wang. "By gradually lowering stress, we help our bodies transmit to a new balance." This year, instead of going from the snapshot potato holiday chaos, "Make sure you get 30 minutes of hard physical or mental activity - even a quick walk - in the following days To facilitate your body in a rhythm of comfortable life "She advises. And live your happiest and healthiest life, do not miss these70 things you should never do for your health.