“Staying fit and healthy — and helping prevent the need for physical therapy — can come in the form of many activities. Of course, in winter, that often can mean ice skating, hockey, skiing, and more.

Given these activities, January is recognized as National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month — that’s Traumatic Brain Injury.

BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York offers some safety tips:

• “Wear a properly fitted helmet that is appropriate for the activity. Helmets can go a long way toward preventing or reducing the severity of a TBI.”
• “Set a no hits to the head or other dangerous play rule for hockey and other contact sports.”
• “Take lessons. If you’re going skating, skiing, or snowboarding, basic lessons will help you learn how to fall more safely and less often.”

PIVOT Physical Therapy