December is here and that means ice, snow, and a mix of the two will be with us for the next three months! Along with unexpected automobile accidents, the weather causes us to be prone to slips and falls and achy back, neck, and shoulders from the routine shoveling of snow.
What should you do if you slip on a patch of ice?
If you fear you have broken a bone or severely injured yourself head to the nearest urgent care for x-rays or immediate care. If you experience back or neck pain or soreness, the chiropractor could be your best option.
Along with jerking and experiencing whiplash in an auto accident, a bad fall on the ice or snow can also cause your body to react quickly in its attempt to protect itself from other serious injuries.
You can attempt to fall on your side to minimize the damage and trauma, but sometimes the way we fall is not up for us to decide. If at all possible, DO NOT catch your fall with your hands. This is the easiest way to break a wrist or another bone. The better option is to fall onto your forearms to spread out the impact of the fall.
After you experience a fall, as we like to say in our office “ice is your best friend”. In the winter, when the cold drops down to the negatives, ice doesn’t sound like the most enjoyable and you might think to put heat on the injured area. Cold helps when you are experiencing sharp pains and can help reduce inflammation.
What if I hurt my back shoveling?
Another winter activity that causes numerous injuries is shoveling. The repetitive action of bending and lifting 10lbs+ of snow and twisting your body to discard the snow over and over again causes irritation to our spine and joints and as we often see, causes many disc issues over the course of the season.
Shoveling is an exercise and you should stretch and warm-up before “digging in”, and take care to watch out for ice whilst shoveling to avoid falls as we mentioned previously.
How can the chiropractor care for me after a fall or an injured back after shoveling?
Chiropractors specialize in treating musculoskeletal issues and can help get you back to your everyday activities before your injury.
At Robin Wellness Center, our doctors prepare our patients and their treatment by taking X-rays (both static and motion) to see how the spine is reacting when it is put in motion and the best path to treat the patient. Our doctors also perform a complete exam with every patient to discuss past injuries or issues they may be dealing with.
When it comes time for treatment the doctors have many tools in their toolbox which allows them to treat individuals with all spectrums of pain along with incorporating our gym and rehab space to help increase mobility and strength.
If you have experienced a fall or shoveling injury, give Robin Wellness Center a call at 763-746-1244 so you can get back to your normal activities, pain-free!