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Preventing and Treating an Injury
by Amy Foster Magnuson, MS, RD, LD/N and D. Brett Perkins, MD
As an avid exerciser, your risk of injury may increase if you are not careful and smart with your exercise plan. By following these 9 steps, you can greatly decrease your risk of injury, muscle soreness or fatigue.
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Consistency - Make your exercise a consistent routine. It shouldn’t matter much if you take a few days off, but more than 2 weeks and your fitness level will begin to decline. If you do need to take off more than two weeks, be sure to gradually ease back into your routine.
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Stretching - Warm up and stretch before you exercise. Research has shown that cold muscles are more prone to injury. Warm-up with a stationary bike or walk for at least 3 to 5 minutes. Take a few minutes to stretch the major muscles.
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Daily Activity - Try to give up your weekend warrior attitude. If you try to squeeze a week’s worth of activity into two days, you may increase your risk of injury. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day, including: brisk walking, working in the garden, playing with kids and taking the stairs rather than the elevator.
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Proper Form – If you are not sure how to use the exercise equipment, have an instructor or certified fitness professional show you. Using proper form will help reduce the risk of injury on the equipment.
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Shoes – Be sure that your shoes are the proper shoes for your sport, and replace them when they wear out. Click here for more on finding the right shoes.
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Safety Gear – In order to decrease your risk of injury, wear helmets and other protective equipment when cycling, inline skating, cycling, skiing and snowboarding.
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Incremental Increases – Gradually increase your intensity, frequency or duration, but only choose one to increase at a time. When changing your activity level, increase it in increments of no more than 10 percent per week. It’s best to add no more than one or two new activities per workout.
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Rest - Listen to your body. If you feel more sore than usual, you may want to take a day off, or drop back on your intensity. If something hurts, give it a rest – instead of “no pain, no gain,” think “more pain, less gain!”
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Avoid Repetitive Motion – Cross training allows for some variety in your workouts, not doing the same exercise day after day. Any type of repetitive motion from the same exercise day after day is likely to increase your risk of injury (overhead throwing increases bursitis of the shoulder). Sprains and strains are frequently caused by prolonged, repetitive movement of the muscles or tendons.
How to Treat Already Present Injuries
Are you injured? When in doubt – we should (of course) seek medical attention promptly. But some minor discomfort or soreness may subside within 24 to 48 hours using the RICE method: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. This method is often used for less serious exercise-related conditions. If after a day or two of using the RICE method, your pain and/or soreness has not subsided, you may need to see a physician or specialist.
Rest:
Often the best therapy for an injury. It can mean the difference between
an injury that heals quickly and one that lasts for months. You may not
need to totally discontinue your exercise routine, just avoid activities
that aggravate the injury. You might still be able to walk with a sore
shoulder or perform arm exercises with a sore knee.
Ice:
Ice works as a natural anti-inflammatory by constricting blood flow
to the area which reduces swelling and helps to decrease the pain. Ice
for 15 to 20 minutes, three or four times a day. Depending on your injury,
you may want to discuss with your physician alternating heat with ice.
Apply ice with a pack, a plastic bag full of cubes, or a package of frozen
vegetables. You may also want to try an ice massage. Fill a paper cup
with water and freeze. Once frozen, peel the cup down, and massage the
injured area in a circular motion for 4 or 5 minutes at a time.
Compression:
Compression may help to reduce swelling, by applying pressure on the
injured area. Wrap a damp Ace Bandage around the injury, taut enough
to feel tension but not so tightly that you cut off your circulation.
You might also use a special knee, elbow or wrist wrap or brace.
Elevation:
Another way to reduce swelling is by elevating the injured area (prop
it up with a couple of pillows). Elevation works best when used in conjunction
with the rest of the RICE treatment.
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