SURVIVING SPRING/SUMMER TIME ACTIVITY

Ten Top Tips from Gilmour Piper & Associates

As we look forward to the spring we often think to longer days, better weather and all the things we would like to be doing. With 20 years of experience our practice observes a sharp upturn in the number of activity related injuries presenting at this time of year.
The reason seems to be that we are generally less active over the winter months preferring an armchair in front of a warm fire to being active and fighting the elements outside. As soon as the weather changes we like to catch up with the active jobs such as spring cleaning decorating gardening or enjoy active sports and pastimes. Often we return to these with great enthusiasm and vigour. Our joints muscles and spines are the last thought.

Those underused parts of the body have stiffened over the winter months and sudden prolonged or vigorous activity is too much for them. The result is repetitive strain injury, back pain or muscle and ligament injury which may be severe enough to spoil the enjoyment of the rest of the summer or disable from work. In order to help you avoid the spring time pitfalls we would like to offer you the following tips:-

• Try not to become too sedentary during the winter. Even if you walk regularly swim or use gentle stretching exercises this will reduce the stiffness
  
• If you gained weight over Christmas now is the time to lose it before you increase the activity
  
• Whatever your springtime activity start slowly and for short periods. This way you will only experience a mild warning rather than a nasty shock
  
• Plan your activity. With a little thought you can organise your time to enjoy your activity, without it becoming too heavy repetitive or prolonged. For example if it is necessary to lift enlist some able bodied help in advance
  
• If you are a gardener try and keep several tasks in hand at a given time so you can move from one to another and use varied postures. Bend your knees and use long handled tools where possible
  
• If you play sport such as golf leave a day or two between games to start with
  
• Beware bank holiday weekends when it is tempting to overexert on several days 'on the trot'
  
• Take regular breaks in your activity so your muscles have a chance to recover
  
• If you drive a piece of equipment 'flat out' for long enough it will probably fail. Your body is the same so pace your activity.
  
• If you are unfortunate enough to injure yourself.- -Apply an ice pack to the painful area -Alternate gentle activity, and rest -Avoid sitting if your spine is involved -Use anti-inflammatory drugs but follow the prescribing notes -If the pain is too great or does not show signs of settling, within 48 hours ring for advice