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400 Collins Rd NE, MS 154-100 Cedar Rapids, IA 52498
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6 Basic Safety Tips That Can Help Reduce Your Risk of Getting Injured
Nobody loves being injured. In fact, humans have evolved some incredible ways of avoiding pain and injury. Did you know that your body can react to pain before the signals even reach your brain? It’s true. Some pain signals only need to make it to your spinal cord before your reflexes kick in. Unfortunately, you can’t entirely avoid injury in life. But there is a lot of pain and injury that you can prevent by following a few tips.
Avoid Distracted Driving
You might be an excellent driver, but it only takes a second of distraction to cause an accident. Even a fender bender can cause serious injury. The whiplash can cause damage to the neck and spine. If the airbag goes off, then you can even experience minor chemical burns.
It’s not enough to just watch where you are going. You need to pay attention to those around you. According to Bruscato Law , over 10% of adults and 20% of teens admit to texting while driving, which can lead to an increase in distracted driving accidents. Chances are, you’re going to pass other drivers that aren’t paying attention. You need to be on your guard.
Wear Protective Gear During Physical Activities
Protective gear for sports can be both expensive, and uncomfortable. Many soccer players don’t like to wear shin guards. But they come to regret this when they have the legs torn up by the cleats of an opposing player. Some weightlifters refuse to use a lifting belt because they think they’re tough. But when they throw out their back, they wish that they had put one on. The point is, as Motley Health points out, that protective gear is there for a reason. Just because you’ve never been injured doesn’t mean that you don’t need protective gear anymore. You’ve probably avoided injury because of the protective gear.
Prevent Falls at Home
You might think that this is a tip for seniors. But this is important for everyone. For seniors, many falls are caused by poor balance and mobility. This can be mitigated by installing handrails and using walkers. For everyone else, falls are generally a result of tripping hazards. Keep your home clean and free of clutter on the floor. Pay careful attention to any cords that you have running across walkways. These can easily tangle a person’s feet and cause a fall. Keeping your home clean is especially important in the bedroom. Many injuries result from people tripping when they get up in the night to use the restroom.
Get Good Sleep
In order to keep up your physical and mental health, you need good sleep. When you are tired, you are unable to think clearly. According to the Clark Psychology Group , you are more likely to make mistakes, especially when performing dangerous tasks that require focus. Additionally, your movements are less precise. Severe sleep deprivation can cause you to have issues with your balance and hand eye coordination. This could cause you to inadvertently cause yourself serious injury.
Handle Sharp Objects with Care
Don’t run with scissors! This mantra has been repeated by parents and teachers all our lives. While you may be practiced at carrying scissors safely, many adults display a shocking lack of care when handling other sharp objects. You should never reach past a spinning blade, nor should you ever cut toward yourself with a knife. These things make sense, but you probably do it more often than you think.
One of the most dangerous things that you can do with a sharp object is to allow it to become dull. You might think that it would be more difficult to cut yourself with a dull blade, but it’s actually much more common. This is because dull blades get stuck more easily. They also require a lot more force. This combines to give you an increased likelihood of the blade slipping and cutting you.
Avoid Showing Off
Some of the worst injuries you can experience are caused by your own pride. The desire to impress people will often prompt us to attempt things that are outside of our capabilities. Not only that, but the heat of the moment will cause us to overlook crucial details. For example, you might be able to do a backflip off a ledge. But trying to do a backflip off a chair will result in you hurting yourself when the chair tips.
The principle behind each of these safety tips is common sense. Pay attention to your gut feelings and think through your actions. If you feel like you are getting a little crazy, tone down your actions. This will decrease the likelihood of you doing something you’re going to regret.
As much as we try to avoid injuries, sometimes they still happen. That’s where we can help. Contact us to schedule an appointment so we can help you find some relief!
