Summer is a time of activity. Whether you’re hitting the hiking trails, kayaking on the lake, or swimming to cool off, there are a plethora of ways for you to spend the long summer days. However, the more active you are, the more likely mobility issues may arise, especially if your body isn’t conditioned to keep up.
Thankfully, there are ways to prevent these issues and, should injury occur, manage the pain so that you can get back to enjoying your summer.
Common Summer Mobility Issues
The summer months may be warm and pleasant, but the increasing activity levels can open the door to injury. Let’s explore some common mobility issues that you may find yourself facing.
Overuse Injuries
If you’ve been hibernating all winter, the quick shift to activity in the summer can cause overuse injuries such as strains, sprains, and stress fractures. These occur because your body isn’t prepared to take on these extra activities, causing injury to your muscles and/or bones.
To combat overuse injuries, ease into summer activities and learn to listen to your body. For example, if you’re in pain from a hike, consider taking a few days off to rest rather than trying to push through.
Slip and Fall Injuries
When the sun is high, it’s common to head to places with water, whether it’s a neighborhood pool or a waterpark. However, adding water into the mix introduces a risk of slipping and falling, which can leave you with limited mobility for the remainder of the summer.
Slipping and falling can lead to a broken bone, but it may also cause a ligament or muscle tear depending on how your body is stretched as you fall. To prevent these injuries, walk slowly when around wet and slippery surfaces, and consider using water shoes, especially if you’re walking on wet rocks near a natural water source—the algae that grow on these rocks can make them quite slick!
Traversing Uneven Terrain
In the summer, you may find yourself straying from the paved path, but this can open the door to uneven terrain that is challenging to traverse. Even more, uneven terrain increases the risk of twisting an ankle, which can limit your movement even more.
If you’re being adventurous, ensure you’re wearing the proper footwear. You’ll want to choose shoes with adequate support and stability so that you remain on your feet easier.
Additionally, before hiking or enjoying other summer activities, check in with your range of motion in key joints, such as your knees, ankles, hips, and shoulders. Since inadequate range of motion opens up opportunities for injury, be sure to see a doctor, such as the experts at Orthopedic Associates, to help devise a treatment plan that improves your range of motion.
Treating Summer Mobility Issues
If you’re experiencing difficulty moving around because of an injury, Orthopedic Associates can help. For those with joint pain due to a slip and fall injury, Dr. Brian Larkin offers solutions for hip and knee pain. Or, if you’ve found yourself with knee pain that makes walking difficult, Dr. Frank Wydra offers arthroscopic procedures to get to the bottom of the issue through minimally invasive means.
Whatever your injury, Orthopedic Associates can help you get moving this summer.
