close
close

7 things orthopedists never do

7 things orthopedists never do

Orthopedists are no strangers to broken bones, sprains, tears and other traumatic injuries. These are often sustained during competitive sports or accidents.

However, many orthopedic injuries are caused by everyday activities and common mistakes. TODAY.com spoke with orthopedic surgeons and trauma surgeons about the things they personally avoid or never do because of the risks.

Jump into lifting without warming up

Lifting games are meant to be fun, but jumping into any sport without any conditioning, stretching, or warming up can lead to serious injuries, says Dr. Molly McDermott, a sports medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, told TODAY.com.

It’s easy to let your guard down when the stakes are low—whether it’s a backyard soccer game, park basketball, or a social softball league. However, you should always make sure your body is capable and ready first.

McDermott says he sees many adults overestimate their ability and skip warm-ups, which increases the risk of injury. These include muscle strains, sprained ankles, torn ligaments or fractures.

“I see these people in their 40s or 50s playing basketball, and they haven’t stretched, they haven’t warmed up, and then pop — they tear their Achilles,” Dr. Samir Mehta, head of orthopedic trauma. at Penn Medicine, TODAY.com says.

Even casual games can become intense or aggressive. “Understand who your competition is. and make sure you’re playing with people who are at the right level,” says Mehta.

People also injure themselves during lifting sports because they don’t wear the right footwear or protective gear, McDermott says. Starting a sport, warming up and having the right equipment can go a long way.

Forcefully crack your neck or back

While joint manipulations can be safe, especially when done by a professional, experts caution against attempting forced manipulations at home. “I would never do a manipulation or an adjustment on my own,” says McDermott.

When you “crack” a joint, you release gas bubbles trapped in the joints, which make a popping sound. This is usually harmless, but cracking the spine and neck in particular can be very unsafe, warns McDermott. The neck is a delicate structure that includes the spinal cord, major blood vessels and nerves.

“We see a lot of injuries, like neck pain or even worse, like vascular injury to the neck or nerves,” says McDermott. In rare cases, severe neck cracking can rupture a major artery, which can lead to blood clots, stroke, and even death.

On social media platforms like TikTok, there are plenty of viral chiropractic videos demonstrating aggressive and dramatic joint manipulations. Loud cracks and pops may seem satisfying, but experts warn against trying these maneuvers at home.

When it comes to neck or back adjustments, leave it to trained and licensed chiropractors and always consult your doctor first.

Ride an electric scooter recklessly

“It seems like there are a lot of ER visits related to electric scooters,” Dr. Joel Press, chief physiatrist at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Injuries associated with electric or motorized scooters are on the rise, research shows. A new study published in the journal Injury prevention shows that emergency department visits involving electric scooters tripled in the US between 2019 and 2022.

The researchers found that e-scooters were associated with a higher rate of injury than e-bikes and that the smaller wheel size contributed to a greater risk of losing balance.

“The motorized scooter has a little more power than some people are used to,” says Press. Unlike e-bikes, which have an assist that provides a boost as you pedal, e-scooters have an acceleration that sets the wheels in motion immediately. “There’s a big difference between an assist and being able to accelerate up to 20 or 30 miles per hour at the push of a button,” adds Press.

These factors make it easier to crash or fall—plus, many riders don’t wear helmets, Press says. Common electric scooter injuries include road rash, fractures, and head trauma.

Electric scooter sharing systems are popular in many cities, but experts warn against riding on busy streets. “I probably wouldn’t be on an e-scooter in a metropolitan area,” Dr. Amanda McCoy, pediatric orthopedic surgeon at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

If you ride an electric scooter, experts recommend wearing a helmet, following the rules of the road and going no faster than 30 miles per hour.

Push through the pain

You’ve probably heard the saying “no pain, no gain.” Some muscle soreness is normal after exercise and usually goes away on its own within a few days.

However, experts would never ignore or exercise through severe pain. “A common mistake we see all the time is that patients don’t listen to their bodies and push through the pain,” says McDermott.

While pain is subjective, people can generally tell the difference between low-grade pain and severe pain. Sudden, severe, or sharp pain can be a sign of an underlying injury—it’s your body’s way of warning you that something is wrong and doesn’t need to be removed.

Exercising through pain can worsen injuries or cause new ones, which only prolongs recovery. “Listen to your body, rest, recover, and if it doesn’t go away or hurts every time you try a certain activity, you need to get evaluated,” says McDermott.

Jump on a trampoline in the yard

When it comes to risky activities, trampolines come to mind for Press and Mehta. Trampolines can be fun, but they are extremely dangerous and send countless people to the emergency room with injuries.

“I always told my kids, ‘You can run over people’s houses, but don’t get on a trampoline.’ I want nothing to do with trampolines,” says Mehta.

Orthopedists and surgeons often see trampoline injuries caused by falls, collisions, or stunts gone wrong. These range from minor sprains and lacerations to joint dislocations, broken bones and severe neck or head injuries. Trampoline deaths are rare, but they do happen.

Most trampoline injuries occur in a home environment. “People go on them, and I don’t think anyone has ever shown them what they should or shouldn’t do,” says Press—for example, only one person should be on the trampoline at a time.

More than 75 percent of trampoline injuries occur when two or more people jump at once, according to the report American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons — which recommends that children under 6 should not use trampolines at all.

Even when people take precautions, trampolines are still risky — trained gymnasts still suffer injuries, the AAOS warns. That’s why the highs aren’t worth the lows for many osteopaths.

Ride a lawnmower with a child

“The first thing that comes to mind is kids sitting on an adult’s lap on a lawnmower,” says McCoy, adding that he sees too many children injured because adults make this mistake.

It may seem like fun for kids, but riding a lawnmower can have catastrophic consequences. Children can easily fall or jump off the mower and be seriously injured or killed as a result.

“At least two to three times a year, we have to take care of a kid who has an amputation or a broken limb from being hit by a lawnmower,” says McCoy.

Research shows that lawnmower injuries are one of the most common causes of traumatic amputations in children in the US, resulting in approximately 9,000 injuries to children each year. They also include cuts, fractures and other injuries that require extensive orthopedic or plastic surgery, McCoy adds.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned for decades that children should never be allowed to ride or operate lawn mowers, even under adult supervision. “Whenever you’re mowing the lawn, make sure your kids are inside,” says McCoy.

Lift heavy objects without proper form

Weight training has a number of benefits, but lifting something heavy without proper form can cause serious injury. “I wouldn’t lift a heavy weight without making sure I had proper form or a gentle lead-in,” says McDermott.

Even if you’re fit and active, lifting weights has risks. McDermott says he sees too many people walk into weight rooms and go at it without knowing proper technique or starting weight.

Using too much weight, lifting with your back instead of your legs, and even using the wrong hand can lead to pain and injury. These include muscle strains, torn rotator cuffs, patellar tendinitis and herniated discs. And dropping heavy weights can lead to crushing injuries.

“This is the time of year when people start making resolutions about lifting and working out,” Mehta says, adding that people should always ease into any new exercise. If you’re new to weightlifting, work with a trainer to learn proper form and technique first.