Memorial Day: Holiday Injuries and Minor Illnesses You Can Definitely Avoid - Legacy ER

Tis the season. The weather is warming up, the sun is out, and people are gearing up to accidentally injure themselves. Don’t take that the wrong way, we’re not trying to be morbid, it’s factually accurate. Back in 2015, urgent care centers reported seeing 12,000 patients per day on average. That’s about three patients per hour. Those numbers tend to increase when the weather is warmer. Add a holiday weekend and you’ve got a nice recipe for bumps, bruises, and minor illnesses.

Nobody likes to think about illness, injury, or urgent medical care on a holiday. In that spirit, we’ve compiled some common Memorial Day physical issues seen all too often and how easy they are to avoid.

Easy does it, grillmaster

Memorial Day is the first foray into the grilling season, something that you haven’t done since the last time it was warm out in late fall. Rusty and haphazard grilling land people in immediate care from burns more often than you think. Other related medical treatments are instances of food poisoning. Neither makes for a good time on a holiday, so make sure your cooking conditions are sanitary and you’re not burning the house (or yourself) down.

Don’t swing so hard

Out come the tennis racquets, golf clubs, softball bats, and yard games. In an effort to prove leisure sports dominance, a lot of people overexert themselves, forgetting the winter months they weren’t very active. Then out come the ice packs, acetaminophen, and physical therapy sessions. When you’re tempted to swing that club hard enough to outdrive your buddy, think twice lest your back remind you of its limits. Or, at least stretch beforehand.

It’s still cool out

Temperature changes lead to bold fashion choices that can easily end with minor illnesses like springtime colds. As soon as the temperature rises above a certain point and the sun comes, lots of people think they’re invincible only to be quickly reminded that we’re not quite in July yet. Dress for the weather. It’s notoriously damp and the temperature fluctuates in the spring, don’t get bogged down by an avoidable cold.

These injuries share a crucial commonality: excitement in the face of warmer weather. We understand that. Winter was long and cold, everyone’s excited to get out in the sun and play, adults and kids alike. Look out for your body while you’re getting excited and the memories of your Memorial Day won’t look like an urgent care.