Exercise injuries are often the result of increasing activity too quickly or the result of overuse of the muscular skeletal system when repeating the same exercises. There are a few exercise techniques which you should practice to give yourself a good chance of avoiding injury. Here are three exercise practices which will help protect you from injury: 1) Gradually increase your duration and exercise intensity to keep pace with your increase in physical fitness, 2) Stretch to start your exercise routine 3) Begin your aerobic exercise gradually with a warm-up 4) Give yourself some healthy resting periods. Let your muscles rest at least 48 hours after completing a weight lifting routine in which you lift weights to muscle fatigue, 5) Do Cross-training workouts-that is, vary your exercise activities so that you are not repetitively stressing the same muscles and the bones, ligaments and tendons.
There is a difference between healthy sore muscles and injury. A day or two after a weight training workout or a high intensity aerobic workout, it is normal to experience sore muscles. When you work out your muscles intensely, your muscles experience micro-tears. The body’s natural process of repairing these tears contributes to the healthy process of building muscle. Additionally, when you lift weights to fatigue, or engage in very intense aerobic activity, your body produces lactic acid which can contribute to sore muscles. Lactic acid is what is responsible for the burning feeling in your muscles. It is healthy and natural to experience sore muscles 24-48 hours after intense exercise. This soreness in referred to as DOMS- Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. However, you are injured if you experience pain rather than soreness. Also, while soreness may slow you down, an injury stops you in your tracks.Knowing the common causes of injury can help you prevent injuries. Here are some common causes of exercise injuries and suggestions for avoiding them:
Overuse- stressing the same muscles, tendons, joints makes you more susceptible to injury. Cross training can help prevent excessive stress to the same areas of the body. Lifting weights can help strengthen muscles and tendons which helps prevent injury. Also, listening to your body during exercise and giving yourself rest as required.
Not Stretching or Warming Up- Starting an aerobic exercise session at a high intensity makes you more susceptible to injury. Always start a work out session after stretching to increase your flexibility and start with a warm up to put less stress on your tendons and joints as your body warms up.
Inappropriate Foot Wear- Be very careful when you select your sneakers. Be sure to select sneakers that provide enough stability and arch support.
Exercising on a hard or uneven surface-Try to find a surface that is not too hard such as running on dirt trails or on a non-concrete track such as one made of latex or polyurethane, or running on a treadmill. Avoid running too much on concrete and also try to avoid running on slanted surfaces.
Some common injuries include:
Tendinitis-Damage to a tendon which is a cord of tough, fibrous connective tissue which attaches a muscle to a bone.
Causes-With tendonitis, a tendon gets torn and then becomes inflamed.
Treatment includes rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin.
Sprains-A sprain is damage to a ligament. Ligaments are what attach bone to bone.
Causes- A sprain can happen from the impact of a fall or from stepping the wrong way or from overuse. Treatment-If you have a minor tear of a ligament then you could usually treat it with RICE-Rest, Ice, Compression and depending on the particular ligament that is sprained also elevation. If it is a major sprain it will required medical attention and for the most serious sprains even surgery.
Plantar Fasciitis– This is a painful inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of your foot. This tissue which is called plantar fascia runs along the bottom of your foot from your heel bone to your toes and it creates your foot arch. When this tissue is overstretched it can become inflamed.Causes- Repetitive force from long-distance running. Running on an uneven surfaces or running down hill can also lead to overstretching of the tissue on the bottom of your foot. There are several risk factors for getting plantar Fasciitis-being overweight or having sudden weight gain, having foot arch problems (flat feet or high arches), having a tight Achilles tendon or wearing shoes with poor arch support or soft soles.
Treatment-Rest, heel stretching, pain relievers such as Tylenol or ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil). For more serious pain your doctor may inject a steroidal anti-inflammatory medication directly into your heel. Heel caps, shoe orthotics (off-the-shelf or custom fitted inserts) and night splints may also help the healing process.
Shin Splints-Pain around the shin bone which is the large bone in front of your lower leg. Shin splints can vary in severity and certainly be a nagging injury.Causes- Shin splint causes include: Excessive force on the shin from running down hill, running on a tilted surface, running in worn out running sneakers or running too hard too fast for too long. Shin splints are also caused by sudden start and stop activities such as basketball or tennis.
Treatment-Rest, ice, compression and a pain killer such as Tylenol or an anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). Also, consider arch supports.
Bursitis-A painful inflammation of bursae – fluid filled sacs which function as cushions near the bones, tendons and muscles around your joints. Common areas where bursitis occurs is in the bursae around your shoulder, elbow hip, knees, heel or base of you big toe.Causes-Repetitive motions around a joint that irritate the bursae such as throwing a baseball or kneeling for long periods of time.
Treatment-Usually treatment is rest, ice and a pain killer such as Tylenol or an anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). Your doctor may inject a corticosteroid to reduce severe inflammation. Also, in some cases the bursae may be infected and your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic. In rarer instances the bursae may have to be surgically drained.
