The long-awaited spring weather is here, with its back-yard plans for flower beds and gardens, and new decks and arbours are waiting to be built.  Cleats come out of the closet, and we reach for our golf clubs and baseball gloves.
 
With summer weather, comes summer activities, and many are realizing they have been less active during the long winter months.  Doug Treloar is a physiotherapist from the Physio-First Clinic in  Brandon.  He reminds us that our muscles need to ease into spring and summer activities, to avoid injury.

Treloar says there are certainly risks involved as we increase our outdoor activities, which are usually ramped up in spring and summer, as opposed to in the winter. He adds that we must make sure to maintain hydration by drinking lots of water during any outdoor activity, and special care needs to be taken on very warm and humid days, so as not to overheat or get dehydrated.

A special reminder to those who are coaching children and youth in various sports, to remember to train young athletes how to warm up and cool down properly, to avoid unnecessary injury.
 

Whether it be sports or yard work, Doug reminds us to warm up muscles to avoid sprains and strains.

With any repetitive strain injury, or traumatic sports injury, it is important to seek some level of care, either through your physician or a physio-therapist so the condition doesn’t become chronic. Proper warm-ups and keeping hydrated helps your muscles to avoid sprains and strains.

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