Common Orthopedic Injuries During the Holidays

The holidays are just around the corner and while this season provides us with an opportunity to spend quality time catching up with loved ones, it can also be a busy time for many people. It’s common to experience a surge in physical activity during the holidays due to decorating your home, preparing large holiday meals, participating in winter sports with your family, traveling on vacation and attending multiple holiday gatherings. It should come as no surprise that the holidays are associated with a spike in urgent care and emergency room visits due to orthopedic injuries.

The following overview will help you recognize the most common injuries that occur during this time of year and the steps you can take to avoid these mishaps.

Why Do Orthopedic Injuries Spike Over the Holidays?

There are several reasons why we commonly see an increase in orthopedic injuries during the holiday season:

• Hazardous Decorating Conditions – Hanging lights, putting up a Christmas tree and placing other decorations around the house often involve using ladders that can place you in precarious positions. This is especially true when hanging lights on your roof or high up on a tree. This can increase your risk of injuries caused by falling.
• Repetitive Activities – Lifting heavy items, carrying bulky shopping bags, shoveling snow and performing other holiday-related activities can place a strain on your muscles and joints.
• Athletic Activities – The holidays provide many people with extended time off from work or school, making it a great opportunity to engage in your favorite winter sports with your family. Anytime you’re engaging in athletics, there is a risk of an orthopedic injury.
• Environmental Conditions – Snow and ice can result in slips and falls, and cold weather can negatively impact your joints.

6 Most Common Holiday Injuries

Each year, our team at Colorado Advanced Orthopedics provides treatment for a variety of holiday-related injuries. Here are some of the most common issues we see during this time of year.

Falls from Ladders or Rooftops

Holiday decorating often requires the use of a ladder. Whether you’re hanging lights on a tree, on your rooftop or in high locations inside the home, there’s always a risk of falling during these situations. Falls from rooftops or off a ladder that isn’t sturdy can result in a variety of orthopedic injuries, including:

• Sprains
• Dislocations
• Fractures
• Neck or back injuries

Slips on Ice and Snow

The holidays in Colorado are often accompanied by harsh winter weather, and it’s common to see lots of snow and ice on the ground. This creates conditions which lead to lots of slipping accidents, which may result in:

• Foot or ankle sprains and fractures
• Broken wrists and hands
• Hip and knee injuries

Back and Neck Strains

The holidays can place a great deal of strain on your back and neck. Lifting heavy boxes, luggage, shopping bags, trees or gifts can contribute to back muscle strain and herniated discs. In addition, poor posture and prolonged leaning while cooking or wrapping gifts can aggravate back or neck pain.

Overuse Injuries

The most common cause of overuse injuries around the holiday is shoveling snow. When heavy storms hit, it can require prolonged periods of shoveling early in the winter when your body isn’t used to the pressure and motions required by this strenuous task. Rotator cuff injuries and back pain are the most common overuse injuries associated with shoveling. However, using poor form such as failing to bend your knees when shoveling can place additional strain on your back and lower arms.

Winter Sports Injuries

The extended school break over the holidays provides a great opportunity for families to take ski vacations. The slopes experience peak crowds during the holidays, increasing the risk of ski and snowboard accidents. In addition, taking your kids sledding for the afternoon can potentially result in an accident. Most Colorado ski resorts also have skating rinks, and ice skating falls can potentially lead to serious injuries.

These activities can result in a wide range of injuries, but the most common include:

• Wrist fractures
• Thumb ligament tears (“skier’s thumb”)
• Shoulder dislocations
• Knee injuries
• Back injuries

Car Accidents

There are several reasons why car accidents typically spike over the holidays:

• The roads often experience heavy traffic from people traveling to and from holiday gatherings
• There is a larger percentage of drunk drivers on the road than normal due to the alcohol consumption that typically occurs at holiday meals and parties
• Many people are unfamiliar with the routes they are traveling to get to their holiday gatherings
• People are often driving home late at night when they’re not as alert

Car accidents can result in a variety of orthopedic injuries, including fractures, soft tissue injuries, whiplash and back injuries.

Tips for Preventing Orthopedic Injuries Over the Holidays

There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of an orthopedic injury during the holiday season:

• Use stable ladders with spotters whenever you’re accessing high locations
• Lift heavy objects with your legs, not your back, and avoid twisting your spine
• Warm up before engaging in winter sports
• Keep pathways free of ice, and use salt or sand to prevent slipping
• Use proper technique when shoveling snow and take breaks if you need to shovel for an extended period of time
• Wear shoes with non-slip soles whenever you’re walking around in snowy or icy conditions
• Ask for help when performing tasks that require heavy lifting, climbing to high locations or strenuous exertion
• Listen to your body and stop performing an activity if you begin to feel pain
• Don’t drive when you’re fatigued or intoxicated, and always drive defensively to account for others who are driving when they’re dunk or tired

Colorado Advanced Orthopedics Can Help

If you suffer an orthopedic injury this holiday season, Colorado Advanced Orthopedics can help you restore a pain free life. Our team contains some of the finest board-certified, Fellowship trained orthopedic surgeons on the Western Slope. Our surgeons possess a wide range of specializations and have the experience necessary to address just about any orthopedic injury you may suffer. We offer the latest minimally invasive treatments and use the most advanced techniques for all surgical procedures to deliver the best possible outcome.

In addition, we have an in-house physical therapy team that works closely with our surgeons. This ensures everyone on your care team is aligned and each phase of your treatment is performed as seamlessly as possible. This collaboration between our orthopedics and physical therapy teams helps us deliver exceptional patient outcomes that allow you to resume your favorite activities as soon as possible.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Colorado Advanced Orthopedics serves patients in Meeker, the White River Valley, Grand Junction and throughout the Western Slope.