New Jersey is a four-season state, with every season bringing its particular joys and challenges. In winter, those challenges almost always include snow, slush, and ice — and that means plenty of chances for injuries, especially to joints like your wrists and ankles.
Wearing warm socks and gloves can help, but that’s not the only way to protect your ankles and wrists during the Garden State’s cold winters. In this post, the team at Mid-Jersey Orthopaedics offers three simple tips to help you avoid injuries this winter and all year round.
Muscles and tendons tighten in cold weather, reducing flexibility while increasing the risk of injury. Taking just a few minutes a day to stretch your wrists and ankles helps maintain range of motion and joint stability.
To keep blood flowing, try drawing gentle circles with your wrists and ankles, or “spell” the alphabet with your pointed toes. Calf stretches, curls with light weights, and flexing your hands open and closed can help, too. Aim to stretch before outdoor activities to literally warm up tissues before exposure to cold air.
Strength training is equally important for joint protection. Strong muscles act like shock absorbers, supporting your joints during movement. These simple wrist exercises and ankle exercises build strength while improving mobility, balance, and endurance. Just a few minutes a few times a week can help keep your joints more resilient all season long.
Perhaps you’ve heard this before, but if you have foot problems or want to avoid them, what you wear on your feet makes a significant difference. Shoes that offer optimal support and cushioning are your first line of defense against chronic issues like arthritis and stiff ankles.
The right shoes also support a normal gait and improve your balance — an important consideration during the winter. Without good balance, you’re far more prone to falls on slippery, icy surfaces, and you’re more likely to suffer other injuries, like sprained or fractured ankles or wrists.
During winter, skip the lightweight shoes and high heels, opting instead for shoes with deep treads and tough soles designed to keep you stable on icy, snowy surfaces. Look for shoes that offer plenty of cushioning around the ankles and wide, stable soles to prevent twisting.
If work or social engagements demand fashionable shoes, carry them with you and change when you arrive, wearing your winter shoes for any time spent outdoors or commuting.
North Jersey is known for its snowy winters, and for many of us, that means plenty of shoveling and clearing. While many people associate snow-related tasks with back pain, handling a heavy shovel and repeatedly lifting and twisting can cause wrist troubles, too. Gripping a snowblower handle for a long period of time can damage your wrists, as well.
Try to keep your wrists in a neutral position whenever possible, especially when gripping a shovel, broom, or snow blower. Taking regular breaks, switching hands occasionally, and pacing your tasks can help prevent fatigue that makes accidents and injuries more likely.
If you routinely suffer from wrist pain, consider adding wrist straps for added support when shoveling or performing other repetitive tasks. Wearing shoes with deep treads helps keep your stance stable and prevents falls that could injure your wrists, ankles, or other areas.
There’s no denying that winter weather poses additional risks to your joints, including those in your ankles and wrists.
If you do develop any symptoms, like stiffness or pain, or if you wrench your ankle or wrist, don’t delay care. Request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Mid-Jersey Orthopaedics right away to relieve discomfort and prevent more serious problems.
