There are obvious injuries that occur more often in the summer – examples like sunburn and heat stroke make sense as consequences of spending too much time in the direct sun. However, did you know that there are more broken bones in the summer as well? Why is that? This week we take a look at why broken bones are more common in the summer and how you and your family can avoid becoming a statistic.

At Orthopedic Associates we see a higher rate of bone injury in teens and children across the Denver area this time of year. With school being out children are outside more often, they are more active and therefore have a higher risk of injury. Many teens have sports camp and conditioning throughout the summer exposing them to greater risk of injury.

At OA we know if you ever have a concern that your teen is injured – whether it is for a broken bone or other injury be sure to play it safe. That means staying off the injury to avoid making it worse and to get in to be seen by a specialist. The sooner an injury is identified, the sooner your child can be on the road to recovery. If it is after hours or on the weekend head into an Urgent Care or ER if the pain is great or injury severe. Remember to listen to your (and your children’s) body. Pain and swelling is an indication that something has gone awry and warrants attention.

To avoid summer time injuries we offer these tips to parents and children alike:

• Wear helmets on bicycles, skateboards or any other moving device.
• Same goes for wearing elbow and knee pads and wrist guards.
• Make sure that everyone in the family follows the same rules – that means mom and dad need to protect themselves too.
• Keep smaller children in view at all times so that you can prevent any accidents
• Pay special attention to trampoline safety – that goes outdoors or at indoor trampoline parks. Avoid the dangerous double bounce…
• Listen to the signs of injury and prevent further injury with treatment.

Keep it smart and safe this summer Denver! And, if you should need us we are here for you at Orthopedic Associates of Denver.