While the recent snow, sleet and ice in Central Texas might bring back memories of horrible traffic and dangerous roads there are other health effects of extreme cold.
Orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Scott Smith, spoke to Men’s Health magazine about how to stay safe in freezing temps. Here’s an excerpt:
YOU’RE MORE INJURY-PRONE. Frostbite isn’t the only danger of cold-weather workouts. Constricted blood vessels do a poor job of shuttling blood to your muscles and tendons, meaning they stay cold and inflexible for far longer. As a result, your risk for sprains, strains, and other musculoskeletal injuries rises as the mercury drops, says Scott Smith, M.D., orthopedic surgeon for Texas Orthopedics in Austin.
DO THIS: If you just can’t bear the treadmill, lengthen the amount of time you warm up before pushing yourself hard, Dr. Smith advises. Do dynamic moves, like side-shuffles and slow jogging, until you’ve broken a light sweat.
Click here to read the full article.
