It’s that time of year when we can all take our foot off the gas and enjoy the festive season and some R+R in the sun. While this is a great time to relax and recharge the batteries, it’s also a time of year that we see an increase in injuries. Here are some simple things you can do to have a safe and enjoyable summer break
• New Toy Syndrome!– whether it’s trying out your child’s new skateboard from Santa, to giving paddle-boarding a go, many people will be tempted to try something new a go – this can lead to injury if you’re poorly prepared. So if you’re planning on doing something completely new, try to do some preparation. Make sure you have the right equipment and attire, get someone more experienced to show you how, and know your limitations!
• Be sensible! Around these holiday times, we often see patients who, with alcohol fueled bravado do things they wouldn’t think about doing when sober. This often leads to unforeseen injuries, from simple sprains and strains to the more serious breaks and dislocations. So enjoy yourself, but drink responsibly!
• Fitness Fails! Summertime and New Year Resolutions sees an increase in people taking up more exercise. You could be in pursuit of the beach body and are hitting the gym harder than usual. Or maybe you’re out running in the finer weather. Often this sudden uptake of exercise represents a sudden spike in the amount of load we place on our bodies, particularly if you have done little to no exercise over the winter months. These spikes in load are known to increase your risk of injury. So take your time, build your fitness gradually and be realistic with your fitness/sporting expectations. It can help to keep track of your training so you can monitor how much you are doing and ensure you don’t push too hard to fast.
The team at the Auckland Shoulder Clinic want to take this opportunity to wish you a safe and festive Christmas break.
Best wishes for 2019
