Healing the Hurt From Common Winter Injuries
Displaced wrists, broken hips, ruptured shoulders – these are not the fun stuff of the season for sure. But these injuries happen in winter conditions of ice and snow.
When a fall on the ice leads to a fracture, what happens next depends on you, your overall health and the injury itself, according to Avera Orthopedic surgeon Brian Kampmann, MD.
Common Injuries from Falling or Slipping
Kampmann said some of the most common fall-related injuries strike your wrists, shoulders and hips. These injuries can strike bones as well as the intricate network of softer tissues like tendons, ligaments and cartilage that give your joints their unique capabilities.
“In each case, the first place you’ll go is probably an urgent-care clinic or emergency room. If the injury is not too severe, all you may need is a splint,” said Kampmann. “But in cases with dislocated joints or displaced fractures, surgery may help you the most.”
Avera Acute Care clinics are across the region, including clinics specializing in orthopedic injuries in limited locations.
Read more: How Orthopedic Urgent Care Helps With Bone and Muscle Problems
Hip Injuries
Hip fractures can be particularly painful and in many cases require surgery to heal properly.
“A hip can actually break in a few different areas and the location of the fracture will make a difference in how we treat it. The neck of the femur can be damaged in a fall, which can heal very poorly,” Kampmann said. "Again, the situation depends on the patient’s health, as well as the location and type of fracture.”
Kampmann reminds patients that the sooner the fracture is fixed, the less time they will spend in bed.
Shoulder Injuries
Your shoulder has the most range of motion of any of your body’s joints. There are many moving parts and connections that can be torn and ruptured by a fall on the ice. This can include broken bones but also injuries to the rotator cuff. Additional imaging, such as MRI, may be needed because injuries like a rotator cuff tear will not appear on an X-ray.
Treatment for shoulder injuries like a rotator-cuff tear often begins with immobilization of the joint. It often requires treatment such as arthroscopy.
Wrist Injuries
Three large nerves along with 23 tendons descend from your forearm through your wrist. When you brace your fall with your arms, this is another common group of winter injuries, Kampmann said. This can include joint displacement and broken bones with different levels of treatment, including surgery in more severe cases.
“These injuries are common. If the wrist is not displaced, a cast can be the best approach, allowing the injured bones to be immobilized during the healing process,” he said.
Sprains to the many ligaments and tendons in the area may be so painful they feel broken but may only require rest, ice and a splint.
Get It Looked At
Kampmann said bones tend to heal faster than injured tendons, like the rotator cuff. Either way, it's best to get it looked at to start the recovery process.
“The bracing we do when we fall comes instinctively, and we’d all be better off if we could roll through the fall, but it’s not something we naturally do,” he said. “If you fall and fracture a bone, get it looked at – we can help you get back to health.”
Find an acute care location near you, including orthopedic urgent care.
