(WXYZ) — Spring is officially here, and that means many of us will be spending more time outside for work and play.
Kids will be out riding bikes, climbing, running and jumping at the playground. Adults will be out exercising and beginning home improvement projects.
But all of the seasonal activities bring risks for new seasonal injuries, so we checked with an emergency room doctor about the most-common spring injuries.
For the home improvement projects, experts say to do a quick safety check and make sure they're safe to use. It's not a practice for all of the DIYers.
"One common one is we see a lot of injuries from power tools and lawnmowers," Dr. Nouh Mazloum, an ER doctor at Beaumont Hospital in Wayne, said.
He says ERs like his see a lot of hand injuries from mowers and weed whackers. He says never reach where there are sharp objects and blades, and poor maintenance and using the wrong tool for the job are other common causes of spring injuries.
"So you want to be careful, make sure you use those tools for their intended job and purpose. You don't want to use it for something that it's not supposed to do," Mazloum said.
Falls from ladders also rise in the spring. The tip here – don’t reach. Get down and reposition the ladder. It could save you a trip to the hospital and a hospital bill.
When it comes to working out and trying new exercises, proper technique is very important.
"I'm working with tendinitis right now on the elbow because of not working out and exercising properly, and going a little bit too heavy, too soon," Harold Rodgers said.
Crystal says before she gets out for exercise in the spring, she checks the route to spot tripping and fall hazards on the pavement.
Because unfortunately, some parts of the Southfield sidewalk haven't been repaired yet. So you do have to be careful," she said.
Before your kids get on their jungle gyms or plate structures, you're going to want to check to make sure that they're still secure. All winter long, nuts and bolts have been freezing and thawing and could have worked their way loose.
Experts suggest making sure the bolts are tight and railings are secure. Also, make sure wooden structures don’t have splintering surfaces. It may mean sanding and re-staining. Make sure to check the ground under your trampoline for erosion, as that could affect stability and make sure the nets are still well secured.
"Mostly what we see with trampolines are muscular scalp injuries, including fractures and sprains. We've seen a few ankle dislocations and neck injuries," he said.
Finally, as the weather warms up, those motorized scooters will be whipping around town. They’re convenient, but can be dangerous. Here the issue is speed and people not wearing protective equipment.
Mazloum says the scooters are the sources of all kinds of injuries, including fractures and head trauma.
