PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) – Ahead of New Year’s Day polar plunges, a doctor with University of Washington Medicine, is sharing advice for navigating icy waters safely.
UW Medicine rehabilitation medicine doctor, Dr. Chris McMullen — who specializes in sports medicine — recommends enjoying the water for a few minutes with a group of people, then getting out and warming up.
“Don’t go off by yourself and cut through the ice and jump in,” McMullen warns — urging polar plunge participants to check with their doctors first for any underlying conditions.
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New Year’s Day often brings cold plunge gatherings during which people step out from the comfort of their cars, shed their winter clothes, and only have bathing suits and towels to “fight off the cold,” as they run into cold rivers, lakes, or oceans, UW explained in a press release…