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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 2022)
18 Wednesday, January 19, 2022 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Avoiding the injuries of winter By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief Winter in Sisters Country is a sea- son of beauty and it can offer a lot of fun — but it can also ding you up if you don’t watch out. Whether it’s a fall on the slopes or just walking to your car, whether it’s the strain of too much time on the Nordic trails or too much time behind the snow shovel, winter is a season of injury in Sisters. Matt Kirchoff of Therapeutic Associates told The Nugget last week that his practice is starting to see the typical injuries of the season — mostly shoulder and lower back trou- ble from people working in that last dump of heavy, wet snow. Turns out that shoveling snow is one of the most fraught of winter activities. A story recently made the media rounds with a doctor positing that if you’re over 45 years old and have any symptoms of chest discom- fort or heart trouble, you shouldn’t be shoveling snow at all. Beaumont cardiologist Dr. Barry Franklin said, “You’ve got a perfect storm here. You’re asking the heart to do a tremendous amount of work, and you’re simultaneously increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and con- stricting the coronary arteries. Every year we lose 1,000 to 1,500 individu- als across the U.S. who died suddenly while shoveling heavy, wet snow, and we want to try and prevent that in the future.” There are those of us well on the other side of 45 who continue to wield the snow shovel and aren’t willing to hang it up. But no matter how “in shape” we feel like we are, we can run ourselves into trouble, so it’s wise to take some precautions. Shoveling snow is an athletic activity — and we should treat it that way. Instead of getting up off the couch, chugging down a mug of cof- fee, and heading out into the cold, we should take a bit of time to warm up. Some “prehab” work like stretch- ing and foam rolling can help pre- vent shoulder and back impingement. Warm up to the work — don’t just walk out and start going at it like John Henry trying to beat a steam drill. That really is asking for trouble — just ask John Henry. Pace yourself and take frequent breaks. It’s easy to get dehydrated during winter activities, because we sometimes don’t feel as thirsty when it’s cold. Make sure you’re taking on plenty of fluids. The kind of fluffy snow we got around Christmastime is pretty easy to deal with — and it’s always better to push the snow out of the way rather than lifting shovelfuls and heaving. The heavy, wet snow that came in at the end of the month is the kind that can hurt you. Push it when you can, lift it if you must. Take small bites. A full, heavy load at the end of a snow shovel — which is not the most ergonomic tool ever developed — requires a lot of leverage to move. If you’re rely- ing on your back to do that over and over again — from a stooped-over position — you’re going to get hurt. Don’t hold your breath when you lift. Shift the direction in which you shovel, so you’re not making the same motion over and over again. A heavy load at the end of a shovel is hard on the shoulders, too. The higher we lift the shovel, the harder it is on the shoulders, so avoid trying to throw a big load over the top of a tall berm. Raking snow off a roof with your arms up over your head can wreak havoc on the shoulders. Good rehab and range-of-motion exercises before work can help, but be mindful of not over-taxing the shoulders and doing too much awkward reach-and-pull. Just walking around in snowy, icy conditions can be dangerous. Falls account for a whole lot of injuries in winter. The old adage to “walk like a penguin” is a good one. Hold your arms out to your side ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/ANDREYPOPOV Warm up before shoveling snow. “Prehab” work like stretching and foam rolling can help prevent shoulder and back impingement. (don’t walk with your hands in your pockets), bend your knees a little, and shuffle side-to-side rather than striding out. If you do slip and fall, especially backward, tuck your chin so your head doesn’t hit the ground. Over-shoe traction devices like Yak Trax can really help keep traction when it’s slick. Yes, they’re a pain to keep putting on and taking off, but much less of a pain than a visit to the emergency room. If your back or shoul- ders or other parts start bark- ing at you, don’t just pop down some ibuprofen and ignore it. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” said Megan Rheeder, a physical ther- apist and athletic trainer who works at Green Ridge Physical Therapy and Wellness in Sisters. Trying to tough out an injury just makes it worse and lengthens recov- ery time, taking away from time we want to be having fun in Sisters’ win- ter wonderland. Kirchoff concurs. “The quicker we see somebody after an injury, the quicker we can address it,” he said. Falling down in Sisters During the month of December, the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District responded to 16 emergen- cies related to falls. That is a fall every other day during the month, and only four of which were related to weather. The World Health Organization rganization reports that each year an estimated 684,000 individuals die e from falls globally. Adults over the he age of 60 years of age suffer the greatest reatest num- ber of falls. Out of the 16 patients the fire district responded nded to in December, only three were ere under the age of 60. Over half of these hese patients required transport to a hospital for further testing/treatment. Falls can cause broken en bones and serious head injuries. Head ead injuries can be very serious for people who take blood thinners. Many any people who fall become afraid id of falling and that fear can cause them to alter their everyday activities. . Less activ- ity actually causes weakness, kness, which increases the chances s of falling according to the Centers s for Disease Control. Factors that increase your chance of falling include: • Lower body weakness. • Vitamin D deficiency. • Difficulty with walking or balance. • Certain medications ns that may affect balance. • Vision problems. • Foot pain or improper footwear. • Home hazards like bro- ken or uneven steps, and d throw rugs or clutter. Most falls occur due to a com- bination of factors and can increase during winter weather. TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT FALLS: • Talk to your doctor to evaluate your risk, review your medicines and supplements. • Do strength and balance exercises. • Have your vision checked. • Make your home safer. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District offers home safety inspec- tions free of charge for residents in Sisters and Camp Sherman. You can schedule a home safety inspection by calling 541-549-0771, or online at https://www.sistersfire.com/ home-safety-program/. home-safety-progr Tai Chi can assist all ages with balance, flex- and abilities w ibility, stress relief, and overall Shannon Rackowski health. Shan free Tai Chi class teaches a fre on Mondays from 11:30 a.m. The class is spon- to 12 p.m. T sored by Sisters Drug. studio is located in Her st Ray’s Complex in the R Sisters, and you can Siste sign up for classes by calling 541-272- 0529. Rackowski 05 is also starting a n new Balance Class on Wednesday, January 19. The balance classes will last an hour and will be for six weeks. To sign up, please con- tact Shannon at ta 541-272-0529. 541-272-0 Tai Chi is also offered Sisters Park & through S District. See www. Recreation D sistersrecreation.com for more sistersrecreati information. information about For more in how you can p prevent falls, call Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire 541-549-0771. District at 541-5 ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/ANDREYPOPOV