While there’s always a new sport, new gear and new fitness trends to try, some things always stay the same ~ like injuries. Every year, you either hear about a person getting hurt or you get hurt yourself during the winter, and some more than others. But what causes these injuries? Well, Dr. Jon Dooley, of Greendale Physical Therapy, has something to say about this, as well as what to do when injuries occur.

Dooley’s practice, Greendale Physical Therapy, with locations in Worcester, Shrewsbury and Clinton, recently received an Honorable Mention in Advance for Physical Therapy and Rehab magazine’s nationwide Practice of the Year contest.

“The most common injuries that people receive during the winter are, actually, falling on ice,” Dooley said. “There are ways to avoid this obviously. Making sure surfaces are prepped properly for the weather. Wearing proper footwear like sneakers or boots when you go to work and changing after getting into work is also recommended.”

It seems almost obvious that slipping and falling would be the most common cause of injuries during the winter. Slips and falls can be quite dangerous, but oftentimes, people do not get help for the injuries they sustain doing things that may seem normal or automatic to them.

“People believe that PT (physical therapy) is something that is painful. While there is chance to feel pain after, say, a total knee replacement, the techniques are not painful at all to people, and we educate on that,” Dooley said. “People also tend to think we are just massage therapists. All of our new doctors have doctorates, and we focus on educating, as well as doing a variety of physical therapy techniques.”

Dooley also said there is a mental component to injuries. Often, people tend to forget that getting injured means that activities may need to be curtailed. He said he recently attended a wedding, where he and other friends played hockey before the event. Dooley did not play as strenuously as he did when he was younger; he knew his body could not handle the stress. That is a big part of avoiding injuries: knowing what your body can and cannot do.

“Staying in shape is the biggest thing for preventing injury. Making sure you are warmed up before recreational sports, or just taking breaks when doing yard work,” Dooley said. “These are the ways to prevent a lot of common injuries people receive day to day.”

For more information, visit greendalept.com.

By Kevin Swenson