Dr. Su Talks With Minnesota Parent About Winter Safety

Snowflakes arrived with the December holidays and transformed the Twin Cities into a winter wonderland. Participation in active winter sports is a great way for growing children to maintain healthy bones. Dr. Su recently spoke with Minnesota Parent about tips for parents to help keep children safe during cold-weather fun.

“We encourage families to get outside and remain active during winter months,” says Dr. Su. “Children’s bones are still developing; the more active kids are, the healthier they will be.

He explains that it’s always a good idea for families to sit down together at the start of the season and review cold-weather safety rules that will help avoid a trip to a Summit OrthoQUICK clinic. In addition, he identifies some of the more injury-prone winter sports and the precautions parents can take to reduce injury risks during those activities.

Dr. Su treats a lot of injuries sustained during high-speed sports like snowboarding and skating. “Snowboarding probably sends more children to our clinics than any other winter sport,” he says. “Because this sport appeals more to older teens, they are the most vulnerable to injury. It’s tough for parents to try to stop their children from snowboarding if that’s what they want to do. However, they can protect kids by insisting on helmets, wrist guards, and safety education.”

Minnesotans love ice hockey, and many young athletes skate all year. “We see a lot of hockey injuries because this sport involves so much contact and physical interaction,” Dr. Su explains. “Some of the most common are trip-and-fall injuries and hand and wrist fractures that occur when hockey players slide and hit the boards at high speeds. Hockey players can’t wear wrist guards, but standard protective gear is a must. Outfit your young hockey players with helmets, gloves, and hockey pads.”

Warm clothing and boots with good traction are common-sense steps that Dr. Su recommends for all children to minimize the dangers of frostbite and falls in icy conditions. “There’s no reason to hibernate during cold weather,” says Dr. Su. “When children are properly equipped for cold temperatures, they can safely enjoy all of the beauties of our winter wonderland as well as the healthful orthopedic benefits of year-round activity.”

For all of Dr. Su’s winter safety tips, see the January 2016 issue of Minnesota Parent magazine (http://www.minnesotaparent.com/feature/cold-snow-and-ice-%E2%80%94-oh-my)

Summit Orthopedics offers comprehensive sports medicine expertise

From Olympians to pro athletes to kids in youth sports and those that just want to be more active—Summit Orthopedics delivers expert care by fellowship-trained sports medicine physicians. If you are recently injured or concerned about ongoing pain, Summit Orthopedics sports medicine specialists have the expertise to evaluate your discomfort and develop a plan to quickly and safely help you get back to being active.

Start your journey to stronger, healthier athletic condition. Find your sports medicine expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a sports medicine consultation.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, Plymouth, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as several additional community clinics.

More resources for you

• Summit Orthopedics named Official Team Physicians for Afton Alps and Team Afton
• Ski Tips from Summit Orthopedics
• Injury Prevention Tips from Drs. Skendzel, Su, Rupke, and Warner
• Ask Dr. Su: How Do I Select The Safest Car Seat For My Baby?
• Prevent The Most Common Cause Of Children’s Fractures

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