Winter Wise: Your Guide to Safe Snow Days

‘Tis the season for frosty mornings, snow days, and hot chocolate evenings – winter in Wisconsin is here! But this scenic season can come with serious safety risks – everything from slipping on the ice to suffering frostbite.

Upland Hills Health has a full staff of expert providers, specifically trained to handle the entire spectrum of cold weather injuries. We asked them to put together a guide on how to avoid some of the most common ailments, informed by their own experiences in the emergency room and on the operating table. Here is their advice:

 

Dr. Graney

Slips and Falls It can happen in an instant: you land on your back after a hard fall on hidden ice. Dr. Colin Graney is a surgical podiatrist at Upland Hills Health who specializes in foot and ankle surgery – he says ice falls are one of the most common injuries he sees. “I probably see an injury stemming from a fall on the ice every single week in the winter,” Dr. Graney told us. “My fellowship specialty is in trauma and reconstructive surgeries, so this is right in my wheelhouse – it’s nothing we can’t fix, but many of them are preventable.” Here are Dr. Graney’s recommendations to avoid an icy incident: Wear boots with traction and rubber soles Take short steps with your arms out for balance Slow it down

 

 

Dr. Villare

Shoveling Snow We all know what it’s like waking up to a fresh layer of snow on your driveway – and all the shoveling that awaits you. “In my 20 years of orthopedic surgery, I’ve seen dozens of cases stemming from shoveling,” said Dr. Anthony Villare, Upland Hills Health orthopedic surgeon. “These cases are often entirely preventable.” Before you reach for the shovel, Dr. Villare suggests you keep these tips in mind to protect your lower back: Stretch before you begin Lift with your legs Push snow instead of scooping

 

 

Dr. Dahm

Snow Blower Safety Snow blowers can make a winter storm less daunting on your driveway – but they can also cause major injuries like hand and finger amputations. “Some of the most serious injuries I’ve seen out of the roughly 3,000 surgeries I’ve performed are from a snow blower,” Dr. James Dahm of Upland Hills Health told us. Dr. Dahm is an orthopedic surgeon with special training in arm and hand surgery; as such, he has seen countless cases of mangled hands and lost fingers involving snow blowers. Here’s some advice from Dr. Dahm before you power up your snow blower: Never reach into a snow blower to dislodge it Wear safety goggles Avoid loose clothing

 

 

Dr. Hansen

Frostbite and hypothermia We all love our winter pastimes spent out in the snow. But how do you know when you’re spending too much time outdoors? “We see around a dozen cases of frostbite a year in the ER,” Dr. Joe Hansen, an emergency room physician with Madison Emergency Physicians, tells us. (You can find Dr. Hansen inside Upland Hills Health’s Dodgeville ER, as well as the Urgent Care set to open this winter in Mount Horeb). “Prevention is key, so avoid extended time in temperatures below zero. Elderly patients are at increased risk, so neighborly monitoring is helpful, as well.” Dr. Hansen offers these signs to watch for: Frostbite: redness and pain, a “pins and needles” sensation or numbness Hypothermia: uncontrollable shivering, blue lips and nails, and neck or limb stiffening

Don’t hesitate to reach out to Upland Hills Health and its full slate of providers to answer your health questions this winter. Our clinics, Urgent Care and Emergency Room are just a phone call away.