{"id":1344,"date":"2019-01-22T15:14:23","date_gmt":"2019-01-22T21:14:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/?p=1344"},"modified":"2019-01-22T15:14:23","modified_gmt":"2019-01-22T21:14:23","slug":"common-winter-injuries-and-tips-to-avoid-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/2019\/01\/22\/common-winter-injuries-and-tips-to-avoid-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Common winter injuries and tips to avoid them"},"content":{"rendered":"

During the winter months, Mother Nature can stir up a variety of weather conditions. Howling winds, drifting snow, and freezing rain make travel, exercise, and day-to-day living difficult.
\nUnfortunately, more than one million people are injured each year as a result of winter weather. Here are some common winter injuries and tips to prevent them happening to you or your family.
\n1. Slip and falls.<\/strong> Concrete or asphalt surfaces can change with each step you take. A casual walk to your car or a walk with your dog can suddenly turn into your body flailing out of control. If you\u2019re lucky enough to catch yourself, you will probably keep walking and maybe look to see if anyone saw you. If you fall, common injuries can include:
\nBroken bones;
\nInjured back;
\nSprains; and
\nHead injuries.
\nIf you fall and experience extreme pain or can\u2019t get up, call 911 immediately. If you experience other injuries, visit your local emergency department or call your doctor. Loss of consciousness, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, and confusion can be signs of a severe head injury.
\nTo prevent yourself or others from falling:<\/strong>
\nShovel and salt your sidewalk frequently;
\nUse hand rails if they\u2019re available;
\nAvoid carrying items;
\nKeep your phone in your pocket;
\nWear appropriate winter shoes; and
\nWatch for slippery floors when you enter your home or a building.
\n2. Frostbite.<\/strong> If you ask my neighbors, they\u2019ll admit to seeing me shovel my sidewalk wearing only shorts, a jacket, and maybe flip flops. While they probably think I\u2019m crazy, my thought is that I\u2019m only going to be outside for a few minutes. Or, if you have high school kids, you know it\u2019s not cool to wear a coat. In either foolish situation, frostbite can occur quickly.
\nDepending on the temperature, frostbite can occur within 10 minutes of exposure. Frostbite affects areas that are away from your core, including your feet, toes, hands, fingers, nose, and ears.
\nLike burns, frostbite has several degrees of injury. They are:
\nFrostnip is a precursor to frostbite. Your skin may be very cold or numb and turn red.
\nSuperficial frostbite may cause your skin to become pale or white and can include the formation of ice crystals on your skin.
\nDeep frostbite is irreversible and may include numbness, pain, and blisters. The dead areas of skin usually become hard and black.
\nHere are some ways to protect you and your family from frostbite:<\/strong>
\nWear appropriate clothing and cover up your extremities.
\nWear moisture wicking socks if enjoying outdoor activities.
\nDrink plenty of water.
\nAvoid alcohol consumption.
\n3. Back injuries and heart attacks.<\/strong> Shoveling snow is very strenuous and can lead to significant injuries and even death. If you experience shortness of breath or chest pain, call 911 immediately.
\nHere are some tips for more effective shoveling:<\/strong>
\nWarm up your body by doing some stretches or brisk walking.
\nPush the snow as much as you can and avoid lifting.
\nKeep a slight bend in your knees to prevent back injury.
\nDepending on the size of your property, consider hiring a snow removal service.
\nAsk your neighbors for help.
\n4. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (CO). <\/strong>Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can lead to death. Carbon monoxide is produced by burning fuel in your car, grill, fireplace, or furnace.
\nHere are some tips to prevent CO poisoning:<\/strong>
\nWhen warming your car during the winter months, it\u2019s safest to move your car into your driveway. If you don\u2019t, the gas can enter your home.
\nHave your gas, oil, or coal burning appliances inspected yearly by a qualified technician.
\nDuring a power outage, don\u2019t use a gas generator or portable heating device in your home.
\nInstall CO detectors in your home and change the backup battery in spring and fall.
\n5. Sports related injuries.<\/strong> These injuries can happen very quickly. A fun family day at your local ski hill can end sadly with injuries.
\nHere are some tips to ensure your day ends well:<\/strong>
\nKnow your limits.
\nWear appropriate equipment such as googles or helmets.
\nStay hydrated and take frequent breaks.
\nPay attention to your surroundings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During the winter months, Mother Nature can stir up a variety of weather conditions. Howling winds, drifting snow, and freezing rain make travel, exercise, and day-to-day living difficult. Unfortunately, more than one million people are injured each year as a result of winter weather. Here are some common winter injuries and tips to prevent them […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2999,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1344\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}