Don’t let seasonal injuries affect your fitness and your readiness to complete your mission. Environmental fitness is a key component of Total Force Fitness. Make sure you are fit, prepared and able to perform required duties even in subzero temperatures, snow and wind. Cold weather, shoveling snow, winter sport injuries, slippery roads and many other winter hazards can put you on the injury report. Make good choices with your exercise and recreation in the winter, and take extra care with regular tasks made more dangerous by ice and snow.
Extreme Cold
Strenuous activity during cold weather can increase your risk of heart attack compared to temperate weather. Cold weather can cause blood vessels and arteries to constrict, making the heart work harder to pump blood. This can cause angina, or chest pain, that can also spread to the shoulders, arms, or neck. Strenuous activity out in the cold should be approached with caution, especially if you are not used to physical activity – this even includes things like shoveling snow, yard work, or exercise.
Preventing Cold Weather Injuries
To prevent cold weather injuries:
Make good choices about the rigor of your cold weather exercises and the clothing that you wear.
Take extra care with regular tasks made more dangerous by ice and snow.
Listen to your body: chest pain, lightheadedness, shortness of breath and dizziness mean that all activity should stop immediately and medical attention is necessary.
