The Holidays have finally arrived, and that means it’s time to break out our carving tools. Luckily we only use these carving tools a few times a year. However, that means many of us are out of practice which leaves us more susceptible to injury.
The American Society for Surgery of the Hand reports that over 88% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, and that means A LOT of carving!
If you plan on being the Thanksgiving star this year by carving up the bird, help protect against injuries to your hand by following these simple safety tips…
Never Cut Towards Yourself
Your free hand should always be safely placed OPPOSITE the side that you are cutting towards. In other words, always keep both hands and your body out of the path of your cut.
Avoid placing your hand underneath the blade to catch the slice of meat
All of your surroundings should be dry! Your hands, your knife handles, your cutting board, as well as your surrounding cutting area or countertop. This helps avoid slips and slides that result in an injury! Everything should be dry… except your turkey! (haha)
Make sure your tools are sharp
This might sound silly, but using dull tools requires you to use more force to cut through your turkey. This makes you more likely to rip through or slip & slide around, cutting yourself. Sharp tools glide more easily through your meats.
Keep everything in your work space clean and dry
All of your surroundings should be dry! Your hands, your knife handles, your cutting board, as well as your surrounding cutting area or countertop. This helps avoid slips and slides that result in an injury! Everything should be dry… except your turkey! (haha)
Avoid using a knife to cut through bones
We all love to use the bones for either broth or making gravy. Try using your kitchen scissors instead. This is what kitchen scissors are designed for. They make the job both easier for you and more safe for your hands.
If you do have a turkey carving accident… Clean and keep continuous pressure on the wound. Seek immediate medical help if you are unable to stop the bleeding, you are unsure of your Tetanus status, or you are unable to thoroughly cleanse the wound. We often take advantage of our hands, don’t forget how important they are to your everyday life! We use them as our primary tools for exploring the world; an injury can permanently impact your home and work life. Please be safe this season.
Keep Reading…
TOP 6 WAYS TO NATURALLY SPEED UP RECOVERY FROM INJURY
The latest research shows the amazing properties of food, proper nutrition and other healthy lifestyle “pillars” as important components related to healing and injury recovery. The relationship of the body systems is one of interconnections; as one system impacts another. An emerging shift in healthcare is recognizing the value of natural influences that provide and support overall health, healing and wellness. Nowadays, we are inundated with advertisements which promise the power of a pill or pharmaceutical to reverse aging or to relieve pain and other symptoms. However, there are numerous reasons and benefits to consider food as a powerful and natural way to improve healing!
STUDY SHOWS EFFECTIVENESS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY ON NECK PAIN.
Cervical pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint, with greater than 50% of the population experiencing cervical pain at some point in their lives. During a given year time span 30-50% of people are currently living with cervical pain. Cervical pain is a common reason for one to seek care with physical therapy. It is prudent to determine the most effective treatment approach based on the symptoms and examination findings for that patient presents with. Manual therapy directed at both the cervical and thoracic spine has been shown to be an extremely effective approach for people with cervical pain.
LOW BACK PAIN AND PHYSICAL THERAPY: WHAT’S EFFECTIVE?
Low back pain is a very prevalent and costly condition. It is common for people dealing with low back pain to ask themselves “What do I need for treatment and where should I go?” Of the people who seek outpatient physical therapy services, 50% of them seek it for low back pain. But what’s the most effective treatment approach?
