Fall Prevention and Staying Active During Winter Weather
Brrr, it’s cold out there! With winter and icy weather comes safety risks, such as getting injured from a strain while shoveling (or slipping on ice as you walk in a parking lot!)
Having your balance assessed this season could help you to avoid fall-related injuries. Give Pro-Active Physical Therapy a call today to schedule an appointment, so we can help you feel steady on your feet!
Our therapists are the balance experts in the field and want to make sure our patients lower their fall risk as much as possible.
Maximize Your Insurance Benefits Before the Year Ends
As the year comes to a close, so do your 2025 insurance benefits! If you’ve met your deductible, now is the perfect time to schedule those physical therapy sessions you’ve been putting off. Don’t let your hard-earned benefits go to waste — start or continue your recovery journey today.
Patient Success Spotlight
“The Pro-Active Physical Therapy team is the best of the best! I’ve been here for several different problems and they helped me every step of the way! They go above and beyond.” – V.P.
Staying Safe and Active In Winter
Between the limited daylight hours, chilly temperatures, and occasionally icy conditions outside, staying safe and healthy can be challenging. Anything you can do to keep active during the winter months is a step in the right direction!
Ice and snow are the biggest threats that winter poses, especially to older patients! Slipping on ice can result in nasty, painful falls. However, with preparation and planning, you can stay safe and active in the winter months. This may sometimes feel difficult to accomplish due to injuries and inclement weather, but knowing the proper steps to take can help you keep doing the things you enjoy no matter the conditions outside.
The most common injuries related to cold weather happen from falls on icy sidewalks, steps, driveways, and porches. Ideally, you will stay off the ice when possible. Walking on ice is extremely dangerous, regardless of how good your balance is. Do your best to keep your steps and walkways free of ice with sand, salt, or cat litter.
If you plan to run or walk on snowy, icy surfaces, attaching snow or ice spikes to your boots or running shoes will help you maintain traction to reduce the risk of falls. Be careful when wearing spikes on the pavement as they are designed to penetrate the ground and affect your balance.
Staff Spotlight: Leslie
PTA | Sheridan Physical Therapy
Please join us in celebrating Leslie, one of the newest members of our team! Leslie joined us in October and works out of our Sheridan clinic, where her warmth and dedication shine every day.
Leslie comes from a close-knit family—she has two older brothers, three nieces, and one nephew who all mean the world to her. She credits her mom as her hero, a source of constant inspiration and strength. Leslie is also eagerly awaiting the arrival of her baby girl, and we couldn’t be more excited for her growing family!
Outside of work, Leslie enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, relaxing at the beach, and doing a little shopping when she gets the chance.
What makes her love her role as a PTA? Leslie says it’s hearing patients’ stories and being able to witness their journey to recovery. Her compassion and commitment to patient care make her a wonderful asset to our team.
We are so happy to have Leslie as part of our family—welcome to the team!
Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup (160 g.) packed dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. whole milk
- 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1 1/2 cups store-bought or homemade whipped cream or refrigerated (not frozen) Cool Whip
- Sprinkles (optional) and gingerbread cookies, for serving
Directions:
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In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.
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Add brown sugar, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves and beat until smooth and combined.
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Add whipped cream and gently fold to combine.
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Transfer to serving bowl, top with sprinkles if using and serve with gingerbread cookies.
How Can a Balance Expert Help Me Reduce My Fall Risk?
The physical therapists at Pro-Active Physical Therapy are balance experts who can help you improve your balance and fight back against the risk of falling this winter. Your therapist will perform a thorough physical examination to identify the source of your pain and/or injuries if they are present. Your mobility, strength, balance, and gait will be assessed as well to determine your fall risk. This information will help us create a program that includes targeted manual techniques, mobility work, strengthening, and any appropriate balance and gait techniques that can help keep you upright and on your feet this season!
What Should I Expect During Therapy?
The first thing you should know about therapy for balance is that this kind of therapy is not a “one size fits all” approach. Your program will be specific to your needs and wants and fit into your lifestyle.
Some of the interventions you can expect to experience at Pro-Active Physical Therapy are:
Strengthening exercises
These exercises will address muscle weakness which is often a primary contributing factor to poor balance and falls during winter weather. With strength and balance training, patients are better equipped to recover from unexpected lapses in gait or a momentary loss of balance to prevent falls.
Gait training
Gait training will include activities to improve gait mechanics and increase your confidence and safety in navigating across different terrains (icy sidewalks, porches, parking lots) and around various obstacles, such as snow. Our physical therapists will also evaluate the need for an assistive device or perhaps adjust the device you are currently using.
Static and dynamic balance training
This kind of training will be incorporated into your physical therapy treatment to help your body learn how to better respond to environmental challenges to their balance. For example, you may be asked to stand on one leg while performing a mentally challenging task, such as reciting the alphabet or reading a paragraph of text out loud. Our physical therapists will also teach you balance strategies to help mitigate fall risk.
Endurance training
Endurance training may improve muscle endurance and improve aerobic capacity for activity. Both will reduce fatigue as a risk factor for falls when walking or completing daily tasks.
Contact Us Today For a Balance Assessment
Pro-Active Physical Therapy wants our patients to feel safe and confident in their mobility and balance. Winter can be a difficult time for those with compromised balancing abilities; however, with the help of a physical therapist at our clinic, it doesn’t have to be!
Call us today to have your balance assessed this snowy season. We can determine if you are at risk for falls, show you how to prevent them, and address any pain or discomfort you may be having. The well-being of our patients is important to us, no matter what season we’re in!
Get a Head Start on New Year’s Resolutions
Who said you had to wait until January to make healthy changes? While December is a busy time of year, it also offers that glorious week between Christmas and New Year’s Day when work is slow (if not non-existent). Why not use that time to consider how you might incorporate new health routines in the new year?
You could…
- Incorporate a few minutes of jogging on your walks.
- Try out a fitness class you usually can’t take because of work.
- Perfect a few new healthy recipes.
- Experiment with meditation.
The post-holiday slump is also a great time to schedule an appointment with the team at Pro-Active Physical Therapy. We can help you resolve any lingering pain or help you plan out a new exercise program–just in time for the new year.
