Summer weather has arrived – hooray! For a lot of us that means more outdoor activities. During the longer days of summer these activities are often enjoyed in the evening after work so we are hurrying to get out the door. In that rush to get started we may be tempted to take shortcuts with the proper clothes and safety equipment to wear. I was reminded of this over the last couple of weeks.
One of my favorite spring/summer activities is working in the yard and garden. In the spring this includes weeding portions of the yard that get somewhat overgrown through the cooler months. Mother’s Day weekend I cleared out an area overgrown with venca. I wore yoga pants (thinking that would protect my legs from scratches) and garden gloves to protect my hands. Unfortunately, hidden in the venca was something that I reacted to. Within a couple of days I saw what looked tiny bug bites that I expected to fade quickly. A few days later the bumps spread and turned into a rash. Now, two weeks later I am on an antibiotic and prednisone. Obviously, I did not wear adequate safety equipment for my yard work. I never reacted to anything in the yard like this before so I was unprepared. Next year I will remember to wear long, loose pants and long sleeves for the yard clean-up project.
This lesson about proper safety equipment applies to many summer activities, Some examples are: wearing proper shoes for running and hiking, helmets for bike riding, knee and elbow pads for skateboarding, life jackets for boating, and liberal sunscreen for all outdoor activities. Warming up your muscles before running, swimming, soccer, and other physical activities is also important for preventing injuries. If you are picking up a new activity remember to slowly increase your intensity, don’t overextend yourself as you get started
Remembering to wear the proper safety equipment will help prevent or minimize scratches, bruises, blisters, and sun burn. It also may prevent a variety of other minor or major injuries that are possible as you enjoy your favorite activities.
What are your favorite summer activities and what safety equipment do you use? Would love to hear from you in the comments below.
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