‘Tis the season to be careful. With the holiday season comes hustle and bustle, but it’s important to take things slow and keep safety in mind.

The airports and highways will be heavily populated, so give yourself extra travel time and be careful when lifting any heavy luggage. Last year, more than 84,000 patients were seen by doctors for injuries of the back, neck and shoulder related to carrying luggage. The biggest piece of advice we can offer here is to avoid over-packing, and try to bring only what you need. If you do need to bring more than you can lift, utilize luggage with wheels. If you’re traveling via airplane, be meticulous while lifting carry-on luggage into overhead compartments, or ask an attendant for assistance. When lugging around heavy items, remember to bend your knees, using your leg muscles instead of focusing pressure in your back.

Hitting the slopes this holiday season? In 2015, injuries cause by winter sports accounted for over 224,000 visits to the emergency room and doctors’ offices. Protect your body when partaking in activities related to snow skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and sledding. Snow and ice are unpredictable so it’s important to be as cautious as possible. Dress the part of a winter sports athlete, and don’t walk out the door without goggles, helmets, gloves and extra padding. Layer up to keep your muscles warm. Stretch, warm up and hydrate before engaging in physical activity.

Campbell Clinic will operate under holiday hours this weekend in observance of Christmas, but we will be open Friday and Monday mornings in Germantown for any urgent injuries. No appointment is needed.

2016 Holiday Hours
Friday, Dec. 23: Germantown After Hours open 8-11 a.m. (all other clinics closed)
Christmas Eve: Closed
Christmas Day: Closed
Monday, Dec. 26: Germantown After Hours open 8-11 a.m. (all other clinics closed)

This post was adapted from AAOS.