Avoid These Common Workplace Injuries

More and more people these days are working in office environments, and you might think that the worst potential injury you’d have to face in that setting would be a papercut or a poke from an errant staple. You’d be surprised what else could actually happen.

According to the most recent statistics we have, about twelve people a day die in on-the-job accidents, with more than three thousand nonfatal on-the-job accidents occurring daily. Even if you’re careful, sooner or later, this could catch up with you.

The “big three” workplace injuries are as follows:

• Overexertion/overextension
• Slips and falls
• Contact with other equipment

Below, we’ll offer some quick tips on how to avoid all three so as to minimize your risk!

Overextension or Overexertion

Here, the biggest issue is improper bending and lifting. Preventing these types of injuries comes down to mindfulness, and taking the time to bend and lift properly. If you’re lifting something heavy, don’t just bend over and pick it up, but stoop, and let your legs bear most of the burden. Most people already know this, but it’s a thing so easily forgotten when you’re in the middle of the work day and just looking to get things done.

Slips and Falls

This one comes down to paying attention and being aware of your surroundings. It may seem silly to think about walking and where you’re stepping. After all, you’ve been walking for decades. If there’s one thing you’ve mastered by now, that’s probably it, right?

Even so, you’d be surprised, and it only takes one second of inattention for you to wind up on your butt or face plant into something, both of which embarrassing and painful!

Contact With….Stuff

This is a big category that can encompass just about anything. If you’ve ever burned your hand on the coffee pot, or by reaching into a printer to clear a jam, then you’ve encountered this kind of injury before. While many are minor, depending on the type of equipment you’re working with, some can cause serious injury or even be fatal.

Avoiding these kinds of injuries comes down to always wearing the proper protective gear, not sticking your fingers (or other body parts) into anything that you don’t have a clean line of sight into, and making sure any equipment you’re working on is powered down before you get too deeply into it.

If the worst happens, and you do suffer an injury, don’t ignore it! It’s always better to be safe and have the injury checked out!

Pay Attention During These Summer Activities To Avoid Pain

Summertime is always fun. The weather is gorgeous, most people take vacations, and there’s just so much to do! Unfortunately, all that fun, outdoorsy activity can come with some hidden dangers that can be a real pain in the neck and back (literally!). Here are some things to watch out for and consider if you want to minimize your risk:

• Traveling – Who doesn’t love the iconic summer vacation? The chance to go somewhere you have never been before or visit an old favorite is an irresistible lure, but go carefully! If you’re driving, be sure to stop at regular intervals and stretch those cramped muscles in your legs, and remember to lift properly when you’re toting your luggage from the car to wherever you’re staying, and back again.

• Gardening – Gardening is to spring and summer what sledding and building snow forts is to winter. It’s a lot of fun, but all that bending can take its toll on your back. Ease into it, especially if you lead a more sedentary lifestyle, and remember to take frequent stretch breaks. Also, as with traveling, be sure to use proper lifting techniques when moving bags of potting soil, seedlings and the like. Your back will thank you for it!

• Amusement Parks – Yes, believe it or not, even a trip to the amusement park can be murder on your back with all the walking and standing in line. Fortunately, most amusement parks have plenty of places to sit, so take advantage of them whenever you can in order to minimize the strain.

• Sleep – Studies have shown that we get a better night’s sleep when it’s cooler, and the summertime heat works directly against that. Each night before bed, just turn your thermostat down a degree or two to help beat the heat and get better sleep during those hot summer nights.

Whatever fun you find this summer, be mindful of your back. Taking sensible precautions will help reduce your risk of painful strains, sprains and other injuries.

It’s Wedding Season – How Can You Manage The Stress?

What girl hasn’t fantasized about her wedding day? It’s magical and momentous. Unfortunately, as the dream begins to become reality, it can be incredibly stressful!

That part seldom makes it into a young girl’s fantasies about her big day, but it’s the truth. In survey after survey, the top most stressful events in a person’s life include:

• Wedding Day
• Moving
• Changing jobs
• Death of a loved one

Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do that will help make your special day a lot less stressful. If that sounds fantastic to you, read on!

1) Delegate, Delegate, Delegate! – It’s your special day, and you no doubt have a very clear vision of how you want it to be. Find one to two trusted friends and share your vision with them. Let them help you with the heavy lifting involved with turning your dreams into reality. That’s fewer details you have to attend to yourself, and you can still keep tabs on the process by checking in at regular intervals.

2) Unplug – As the big day draws nearer, stress levels can bust through the roof. The last thing you want is to be so stressed on the day of the wedding that you can’t enjoy it, so be sure to take time to unplug. Studies have shown that just 15 minutes of medication free of electronics per day can help to significantly reduce your stress levels, and the effect is magnified if you walk in the woods. Unplug, drive to a secluded, wooded area and just let your stress go. It will do wonders for you!

3) Visit Your Chiropractor – You don’t have to wait until you’re suffering from a painful injury to visit your local chiropractor. Any time you’re feeling stressed, make an appointment. He or she can develop a customized plan to help reduce your stress that will leave you smiling and relaxed when the big day arrives!

There are many other things you can do to lower your stress levels, but start with just these three. You’ll be amazed at the difference they make!

Common Water Sports Injuries and Treatments

Frolicking in the water during those hot summer days is not just a great way to have fun; there’s no better way to beat the heat! Unfortunately, all that summertime water fun carries risks, and if you’re not careful, you can find yourself in pain and having to interrupt the festivities with an unexpected trip to your doctor or chiropractor.

Some waterborne activities carry more risks than others, so if you’re planning on being on the water this summer, take extra care. Below, you’ll find a short list of some of the more common injuries certain watersports can lead to, and how to best treat them:

• Tubing or rafting – If you’ve never been whitewater rafting, you owe it to yourself to try it, but be warned: if you encounter whitewater (class 3-4 rapids), your body will take a beating. It’s fun, but the sudden chop can cause sprains in your neck, and possibly even whiplash.

The best defense here is prevention, so don’t take on a more challenging course than you’re prepared for. If you do find yourself with a sore back or neck after, use cold, not heat to help bring the swelling down. If the pain persists for more than a day, visit your local chiropractor, as putting it off or ignoring it can only worsen your condition.

• Skiing – Here, the most common injuries are to the ankles (although head and neck injuries can also occur), because they’re attached to the skis, and if you fall over, it’s going to inevitably stress your ankles, resulting in a strain or sprain.

From a prevention standpoint, your best bet is to go slower on windy days with more chop, and be sure you’ve exercised to build up your leg and ankle strength before skiing. If you find yourself in pain, see your doctor or chiropractor to put yourself on the fast track to healing.

• Jet Skiing – Here, you run the risk of head, neck and back injuries if you topple over, because you may wind up hitting your head on the equipment as you fall, so cuts, bruises and abrasions are not uncommon. If you hit a big wave, you can also suffer a neck sprain or whiplash.

Again, going slower on windy days and not crossing boat wakes will minimize your risk, but if you fall, especially if you suffer neck pain immediately after, don’t delay a visit to your local chiropractor.
Summertime offers endless possibilities for fun, but if you’re not careful, all that fun can put you out of commission. Be mindful of that, and have a plan for if and when you get hurt so that you can minimize your downtime and get back out there!

Increase Your Water Intake During The Summer

Conventional wisdom holds that in order to stay healthy, you need to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day, which is not quite two liters. That’s all well and good for the spring, autumn and winter, but what about those hot summer months? Should you be drinking more, and if so, how much more?

It’s an excellent question, and one that comes up every summer. The short answer is yes! You absolutely should increase your water intake during the summer. Below, we’ll give you some good guidelines regarding how much.
The first thing to bear in mind is that there’s no one “right” answer to this question. Since everyone’s physiology is different, your sweet spot where summertime water intake is concerned will be different from your neighbor’s. That said, in general, you want to add one liter per day to your water intake, bumping it up to three liters a day.

If you spend a lot of time outside in the sun, then you’ll want to add another liter to that, for a total of four. If you work outdoors, or if you’re in relatively poor health, then you’ll want to add another liter on top of that, for a total of five.

Simply drinking more water, though, is only part of the equation. You’ll also want to augment your water intake with all natural fruit juices (not from concentrate) and things like coconut water, all of which help your body to retain it.

Further, if you work or play hard in the sun, then you’re going to be losing lots of nutrients your body needs, and a drink like PowerAde or Gatorade will help replenish you in addition to quenching your thirst.

At the end of the day, the reality is that it’s almost impossible to drink too much water, so it’s always better to err on the side of more, rather than less. Stay cool this summer, and more importantly, stay hydrated!