My friend's daughter is a ballet dancer. She had surgery on her tendon on her right ankle and then when it was almost healed she fell down the stairs and hurt her other ankle. This put her out of commission for several weeks and she wasn't able to try out for "So You Think You Can Dance' which she had been planning on doing. This was a huge disappointment; she will just try again next year, baring more injuries.

I was thinking even the young have their problems with injuries and as we get older even seniors have their share of injuries. With Spring and Summer here the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports there are thousands of ladder-related, raking-related and lawn-mowing-related injuries that require treatment in hospitals, doctors' offices and clinics. There are more injuries which include cuts, bruises, sprains and broken bones, not to mention pulled and sore muscles and injured backs.

As a professional organizer I encourage everyone to make it a goal to prevent injuries as we become more active this season. Here are some tips on how to avoid injuries:

1. Before launching into a painting project or working in the garden; take a few minutes to warm up those muscles. I know time management is important and we want to charge right out and start on the project, but this will save unnecessary aches and pains later on.

2. Take baby steps in tackling a new project. Building up the amount of hours you spend at any given time, don't try to do everything in one day, Rome wasn't built in a day and your project will still get done if you pace yourself.

3. We have all been told to bend our knees when we are lifting something and this is sound advice. Using the right techniques for lifting, carrying and bending can cause fewer injuries and aches and pains.

4. When reaching a hard to reach area use a step stool rather than a piece of furniture. I had a friend who was standing on a chair and reaching as far as she could into the back of her cupboard and the chair slipped and she ended up flat on her back on the floor. She had to have hours of physical therapy for her back injury all because she was in a hurry and just pulled up a chair instead of getting a step stool or ladder to stand on.

5. Just using a ladder is not enough. Ladders used for chores outside such as washing windows, painting, cleaning gutters and trimming trees must be placed on a firm, level surface. Do not climb on a ladder that has been placed on the ground or on flooring that is uneven, soft or wet. They can so easily tip over and you with it.

6. Find your belly button and be mindful that this should not go beyond the sides of the ladder when reaching for something. Overreaching or leaning out too far when on a ladder can cause you to lose you balance and fall. Overreaching also causes sore and sometimes pulled muscles.

7. When raking leaves or the lawn use your legs to shift your weight, twisting your body is not a good idea. This can cause back problems and again pulled muscles.

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