Sure, the living really is easy in the summertime: no more having to cloak yourself in wool or deal with the endless rounds of colds and flu that swirl around the office. But you still need to take care. Here are some tips to keep you singing.

Be a good sport
Once the sun comes out to stay, people can't wait to get on the tennis court, golf course, or sea wall. But ask Carl Petersen what keeps him busy this time of year, and he'll tell you it's treating low-back strain. The physiotherapist and director of high-performance training at City Sports and Physiotherapy Clinics says these conditions usually happen when people jump into summer sports without proper training.

“Individuals overwhelm their body's ability to adapt by doing too much, too hard, too fast, and too soon, resulting in injuries,” Petersen tells the Straight, adding that other common complaints include pelvic misalignment and strains of the hamstrings, quadriceps, and hip flexors.

“The most important thing to ensure safe summer sporting and help prevent injury is to do a good dynamic warm-up before any activity,” he says. “Warm up to play, don't play to warm up.”

From there, Petersen recommends the “ABCs of smart training”: being aware of proper alignment, working on your balance, and developing core strength. Plus, eat well, stay hydrated, and consider recovery techniques like hot tubs, steam, showers, and other hot and cold treatments to flush lactic acid from the body and decrease muscle stiffness.

Feeling hot, hot, hot
As temperatures climb, so does the risk of heat-related ailments. The body loses water through sweat, and overexposure to the sun combined with drinking inadequate amounts of fluid lead to dehydration. Signs include dry skin, dizziness, fatigue, confusion, and rapid heartbeat. Dehydration mustn't be taken lightly: it can lead to heat exhaustion, which is marked by nausea, vomiting, headache, and muscle cramps. Extreme cases can result in heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, disorientation, hallucinations, and the absence of sweat, along with red, dry skin. People who exercise or work outside are particularly vulnerable to heat stroke, as are kids and the elderly. Avoid doing vigorous physical activity during the hottest part of the day and drink lots of fluids, but not alcohol or caffeine.

Fearsome foliage
B.C. might be famous for its weed, but it's home to another notorious plant: western poison ivy. Toxicodendron rydbergii, which can be found throughout the southwestern part of the province, gets its bad rep from the urushiol it contains. The oily sap can cause a range of reactions, from a mild rash to severe itchiness, facial swelling, fever, and big patches of oozing blisters. A member of the cashew family, the low shrub can be identified by leaves that occur in groups of three. If you think you've come in contact with it, wash your skin immediately. If that's not possible, reactions usually occur 48 hours later and can last up to 10 days. Try cold compresses and calamine lotion to relieve the itchiness—and don't scratch.

Pale skin is in
We all know that sunburns are bad, yet people still come home from a day outside looking like they could be in one of those vintage Noxema ads, with skin as pink as wild salmon. When the UV index is high, you can burn in less than 15 minutes. (You can check the daily UV index at www.theweathernetwork.com/.) By the time the skin starts to turn red, the damage has already been done. The pain is greatest six to 48 hours after exposure, and severe cases can result in blisters, fever, and swelling. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, a single blistering sunburn doubles the likelihood of developing malignant melanoma. Avoid being in the sun when it's at its hottest, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Use sunscreen that blocks UVB and UVA rays, and that has a sun-protection factor of at least 15. Wear sunglasses that offer UV protection too, and keep in mind that sand and water reflect ultraviolet radiation.

Citronella keeps blood suckers at bay.

Take the bite out of summer
'Tis the season for camping and hiking, and along with being in the great outdoors comes the need to fend off blood-sucking bugs. Bites can be more than irritating: the very notion of West Nile virus is enough to make some people slather themselves in DEET, while others are nervous walking in wooded or grassy areas, where ticks lurk. Ticks can carry potentially debilitating illnesses like Lyme disease, which, if left untreated, can lead to abnormal heart, nerve, and joint function. The most effective bug repellent is the aforementioned N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, which, depending on the concentration, lasts anywhere from two to 10 hours or more. Natural alternatives include lemon-eucalyptus oil, which is said to last for about two hours, as well as oils of catnip and neem. Citronella oil, an extract of the fragrant tropical grass plant Cymbopogon nardus, is another one. However, a 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the lemon-scented substance wards off bugs for only about 20 minutes.

Other ways to lessen the risk of being bitten is to avoid being outside at dawn or dusk, when mosquitoes are most active, and to stay away from pools of standing water. Cover up with long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and enclosed shoes, especially if you're in an area where ticks exist. Check your body for ticks after leaving the region. Lightly coloured clothes help reduce your attractiveness to mosquitoes and allow you to see ticks more easily.