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Winter weather has a tendency to stick around in Gillette, WY. And that means winter-related injuries happen all the time. Even minor injuries can leave you facing a long road to recovery if you’re not careful. Though physical therapy treatment will help you speed your recovery, it’s far better to avoid needing physical therapy services in the first place. The best place to start is by familiarizing yourself with the most common types of injuries Gillette residents face and what you need to do to avoid them yourself.

Lower Back Strain

Shoveling snow is a must, especially if you live in a neighborhood with an HOA that loves to hand out fines. Unfortunately, shoveling the often-heavy powder so common to Wyoming winters can be incredibly challenging. When you’re in a hurry and trying to move several inches of that thick powder as fast as possible, it’s easy to push yourself too hard, too quickly and pull the muscles in your lower back. Unfortunately, recovering from even minor strain can take a few weeks assuming you don’t reinjure the area. Instead of rushing, try to take your time when shoveling. Lift with your knees rather than your back or switch to a snowblower so you’re not having to maneuver all that weight. 

Slip and Fall Accidents

Icy walkways are never fun to walk on but if the ice is slick enough, they can cause you to fall, leading to serious muscle strain at best and severe bruising or sprains at worst. Though it’s impossible to completely prevent these injuries, there are a few things you can do to set yourself up for success. If you know you’ll be walking on ice, wear a pair of ice grips on the bottoms of your shoes to give you added traction. If you know there are specific areas around your property that get icier than others, spread ice melt as needed to keep the buildup at bay. This will reduce your risk of slipping and falling after every storm.

Winter Sports Accidents

If you have kids, you know that there are few things they enjoy more in the winter than sledding. While they may be able to bounce back up after taking a tumble, you may not be as lucky. If you’re worried about your ability to withstand impacts from sledding, it may be best to supervise your kids without participating. However, if you decide to get on the sled, wear enough layers to act as a form of padding to absorb the shock of the fall. Stretch your muscles and walk around for a few minutes before you go zooming down the hill. This way, you’ll be warmed up, more flexible, and better able to avoid getting hurt in the first place.

Avoiding These Injuries Is Possible

These are just a few of the most common injuries people face in the wintertime. Do what you can to avoid them and you’ll be in better shape all winter long. If you do get injured and need help recovering from those injuries, contact our team as soon as possible.

No matter what industry you work in, there’s always the chance that you’ll get injured while you work. Even minor injuries can keep you from working like normal for months on end and while workers’ compensation insurance can help you avoid financial strain during your recovery, it’s far better to learn how to prevent the most common injuries in the first place. The more effectively you can keep yourself safe, the less likely you’ll be to need appointments with your Wyoming physical therapy team. Here are a few simple things you can do to reduce your risk of work-related injuries every time you’re working.

Wear the Right Attire

One of the easiest changes you can make that will have a far-reaching impact on your ability to stay safe at work is to make sure you’re wearing the right gear before you start working. If your job has you on your feet all day on potentially slippery surfaces, invest in a pair of non-slip work shoes. If you work in an environment with loose debris, make sure you’re always wearing eye protection. Assess the most common hazards you have at your workplace and use gear that will help you mitigate your injury risk. If you’re not sure where to start, look at your employee handbook. Most have a section outlining the types of gear you should use to help you stay safe.

Ask for Help When You Need It

Back strain is one of the most common problems for workers across all industries. And it’s often caused by something as minor as lifting overly heavy items on your own. Instead of trying to do everything yourself, be prepared to ask for help. There’s no shame in getting a coworker to help you handle large objects or to split the strain of carrying things for long distances. If your employer gets annoyed with you for asking for help, let them know that you’re just trying to reduce your risk of injury and any subsequent workers’ compensation claims. 

Pay Attention to How You Move

When you’re in the zone, it’s easy to ignore minor discomfort or to get into bad habits. Unfortunately, those bad habits can end up increasing your risk of work-related injuries. Instead of going through the motions, check in with your body every 10 minutes or so. Make sure you’re moving in a way that keeps your muscles and joints in a good posture. If you need to make any corrections, do so as soon as possible. The sooner you can make adjustments to the way you move so you can stay out of pain, the easier it will be to avoid injury.

If You Do Get Hurt, Get Help

No matter what precautions you take, you can never completely guarantee that you’ll avoid injuries at work. If you do get injured, let your supervisor know immediately and listen to your doctor’s orders. If they suggest physical therapy to help aid your recovery, contact your nearest location and schedule an appointment.

Skiing is one of the most popular winter sports in the world and there are plenty of challenging trails to choose from in the Rocky Mountains. But no matter how experienced of a skier you are, there’s always a chance that you’ll get injured on the slopes. Luckily, most of those injuries are preventable as long as you take the time to stretch and warm up before you get on the lift for the first time each day. Your trusted physical therapy treatment provider wants to help you do just that. Here are a few important stretches you should do before and after you ski each time.

Use a Foam Roller

Foam rollers are one of the best fitness tools you can invest in. They allow you to stretch your muscles and provide a form of myofascial release that keeps your body from stiffening up as quickly both on and off the slopes. Roll your calves, quads, hamstrings, lats, and rotator cuffs thoroughly before and after you ski. This will help your muscles recover more fully and more quickly. Even better, it can help cut down on the pain and soreness you’re used to feeling after spending hours on the mountain.

Stretch Your Hip Flexors

Your hip flexors help you attack steep slopes with ease and make carving your way through thick powder both possible and painless. Unfortunately, they can get stiff quickly and when they do, you’ll have more trouble getting down the mountain comfortably. To stretch them out, start by taking a lunge step and bring your back knee to rest on the ground. Then, lean forward into the stretch. You should feel this along your back leg’s hip joint. Repeat the stretch on the other leg. You can and should do this before and after skiing for best results.

Keep Your Calf Muscles Loose

The muscles in your calves arguably see some of the most strain during each ski session. They support you, control the movement of your skis, and help you stay upright at high speeds. They need regular stretching to help you keep your performance great. Before and after you hit the slopes, find a stair or a curb to rest the balls of your feet on. Then, dip your heels down off of the stair or curb to stretch your calves. You can do this between ski runs, too to help you stay loose and limber at all times. 

Try These Stretches for Yourself

These are just a few of the key stretches you should do to help you stay healthy on the slopes. Pay attention to your body and stretch out any muscle groups that start to feel stiff as soon as you notice any discomfort. If you can, get in the habit of stretching each morning to further stave off those feelings of stiffness for the long term. If you do end up getting injured while skiing, don’t ignore the injury and hope it gets better on its own. Schedule an appointment with your physical therapy team immediately. 

Nothing is worse than dealing with a long recovery after an accident or severe injury. While it’s possible that time may be enough to help you heal completely, it’s far more likely that you’ll need a little extra help. Working with a physical therapist is a great way to speed up your recovery and potentially even improve your health in the long run. But searching for “physical therapy services near me” often yields dozens of results and practices to choose from. So, how can you tell which one is the right fit for your needs? Here are a few reasons that North Platte in Gillette, WY, should be your first stop for physical therapy. 

Every Session Is Tailored to Your Needs

At North Platte, our Gillette team knows that every injury is different and the treatment protocols that work for one patient may not be the ones that work for you. When you schedule an appointment with our team, we’ll assess your condition, review your medical records, and identify the best methods for your recovery. We’ll work with your abilities and your limits to help your body heal and recover faster while regaining strength and range of motion as quickly as possible. The sooner you recover and rebuild your strength, the sooner you’ll be able to get back to doing the things you love.

We Offer Different Services

There are many different types of physical therapy and taking a one-size-fits-all approach is the fastest way to derail your progress. Unfortunately, this is often what you’ll find at other practices. At North Platte, we’re proud to offer many treatment options to give you a better, more well-rounded recovery plan. These are just a few of the treatment options you may benefit from: 

• Aquatic therapy
• Dry point needling
• Cupping
• Kinesio taping
• Myofascial release
• Graston techniques

When you schedule an appointment, our dedicated physical therapists will assess your needs and create a comprehensive treatment plan for your unique needs.

It’s Not Just Physical Therapy

Some physical therapy providers only focus on injury recovery. This is great for helping you overcome injuries     quickly, but it’s not ideal for improving your physical health and well-being. You need ongoing support to make sure you maintain or improve your range of motion and reduce your risk of injury in the future. Our Gillette team of physical therapists will help you recover from your injuries but they’ll do so while also focusing on your long-term health and strength. If you need ongoing support, they’re on hand to help with everything from pre-season sports wellness checks to workplace physicals. 

Schedule an Appointment Today

If you’re worried about your body’s ability to heal completely after experiencing an injury, don’t wait and see how things turn out. Contact our Gillette physical therapy team today. Call (307) 686-2569 to schedule an assessment. We’ll help you better understand why your body is responding the way it is and identify a treatment protocol to help you recover quickly. Remember, your health matters and recovering from injuries can be tough, but you don’t have to go it alone.

With the new year, more people are looking for new and fun workouts to try. And one of the most popular options out there is, by far, CrossFit. The whole premise of these workouts is that you’re able to build muscle and increase cardio endurance quickly. Anything that promises super-fast results leaves most physical therapy services cringing. The risk for injuries is high. Worse, those injuries can leave you sidelined for months. So, is CrossFit safe and is it something you should consider doing as part of your new health and fitness routine? Here’s what you need to know.

Start With a Professional

CrossFit may look like nothing but a bunch of jumping, sprinting, and heavy lifting. And, on the surface, it’s exactly that. However, the exercises are incredibly effective when they’re done safely. This means you need to know what you’re doing if you want to see real results. If you’re thinking of trying CrossFit, don’t head to YouTube and watch a few videos. Find a coach in your area and work with them. They’ll be able to walk you through each exercise and show you how to do them safely so you can avoid those annoying injuries that keep you from reaching your fitness goals in the long run. 

Understand That It’s Not a Competition

When you’re surrounded by people that have been practicing and training in CrossFit for years, it’s normal to want to push yourself as hard as you can, as fast as you can. The important thing to remember when you’re first starting out is that CrossFit isn’t a competition—at least, not in the traditional sense. You’re competing with yourself, not your fellow gym-goers. It’s all about reaching new personal bests and overcoming your challenges. Your coach and even your gym-mates are there to encourage you along your journey. If you’re at a gym where you’re encouraged to keep going because someone else is doing something better than you, leave. It’s not the right environment and it’s only a matter of time before you end up hurting yourself. 

It’s Okay to Start Slowly

As with any exercise routine, it’s important to start CrossFit cautiously. Remember, you need to be mindful of your body’s limitations. If you’re pushing yourself too hard or trying to lift things that are too heavy for your current fitness level, you will end up hurting yourself. However, if you approach the workouts with a goal to gradually increase your fitness and overall strength and move slowly while paying close attention to the way each movement makes your body feel, CrossFit can be a safe way to get in shape.

When in Doubt, Pay Attention to Your Health
Ultimately, CrossFit is safe as long as you’re approaching the workouts cautiously and pay attention to the things your body is telling you as you move. If you want to get started with these routines, work with an experienced coach and make sure you know what you’re doing with each workout before you branch out on your own. If you do end up getting injured or want help streamlining your recovery from a previous injury, reach out.