5 Tips for Cold Weather Injury Prevention

Posted on

Feb 23, 2021

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Planning to hike, bike, golf, ski, or workout in cold weather? Prepare to enjoy your activity and stay safe with 5 tips for cold weather injury prevention.


Perform a dynamic warm-up

Dynamic warm-ups gradually increase your heart rate and ease of movement for your joints and muscles. Set aside 5-10 minutes pre-workout for your warm-up. Begin by moving each body region through its range of motion; start small, then increase the size and speed of the motion. Heres a sample dynamic warm-up. Perform each movement 10 times:


Neck:Rotate the head side to side
Shoulders:Arm circles, starting small then getting bigger
Arms and upper back:Torso rotations, keeping your arms out to the side
Low back:Sidebends, reaching overhead
Hips:March in place, bringing your knees up as high as you can while maintaining balance
Knees: Mini squats
Ankles:Circles



Layer your clothes

It is tempting to wear warm clothes for cold weather. As you warm up, your core temperature elevates too. If you begin sweating, your clothes will get chilly. Dress in layers so you can shed layers as you warm up, then add them back as you cool down.


Stay hydrated

Just 2% dehydration impairs performance, as muscles will not stretch or contract as easily. In cold weather, we often forget to hydrate. Drink at least one sip of water for every 15 minutes of activity. If you are participating in intense sport for greater than an hour, consider using beverages that include both fluids and electrolytes.


Cooldown

The most overlooked opportunity for injury prevention is the cooldown. Cooldown brings your breathing, heart rate, muscles, and nervous system back into balance. Skipping cool down can lead to blood pooling in the legs, which can lead to a risk of passing out and falling. An easy way to get started with designing your own cool down is to repeat your dynamic warm-up with two key differences:

Instead of working from small to large motion, work from large total body motion to more isolated, smaller joint motions.
Work from faster motions to slower motions, focusing on bringing your heart rate down.



Start small

When trying an activity like skiing, cold weather hiking, jogging, biking, or golf, your body needs time to adapt to the new environment. Start with 15-20 minutes 3x/week to allow your muscles and bones time to recover. If you are planning a ski or hiking trip, train for it as you would train for a sport: Create a plan and gradually work up toward the desired durations and intensities in the 1-3 months prior to the event.
Seeking help creating your warm-up, cool down, or return to activity plan following injury or surgery? Collaborate with a doctor or physical therapist at Coastal Orthopedics to individualize your plan. Its our mission to help patients live life to the fullest. Click for more information!

Submitted by: Coastal Orthopedics
Written By: Dr. Meredith Butulis

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