by Mark Springett
You decided that this was the year you would begin an exercise program, get into shape and stay in shape. So, you got your gym shorts and your Air Jordans or New Balances out, stuffed them into a duffle bag and joined your local gym. Then you started into a workout schedule and kept to it for five days a week through the cold early mornings of January. Then, after a few weeks, you started noticing some pain in your shoulder, or a hip, elbow, knee, back, feet or neck. You’ve got one. An athletic injury, that is. So what should you do about it?
The best treatment is prevention. For most fitness athletes, a few simple things will prevent a majority of potential injuries. One of the most typical injuries for the older fitness athlete is the ‘pull’ or strain. Although we all like to think of ourselves as supple and resilient as we ever were, the fact is that age catches up with all of us. Face it baby, you ain’t 16-years old anymore. Both Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali found this out within a few weeks of each other during their ill-advised comeback tries.
One of the best ways to prevent injuries to the aged body is through stretching. You should work the shoulders, hips and back with a simple set of gentle stretches. Most gyms these days have trainers who can help you in this regard. It is vital that you remember the crucial word in all of this – gentle. Whatever part of the body you want to stretch, you bring it to the limits of its motion and then attempt your stretch gently. It’s important that you not try to force it as that will only bring about the very injury you’re trying to prevent.
Another way to prevent injuries is to approach your exercise regimen very gradually. It is almost impossible to overemphasize this. For your first weeks of sessions, your limit should be perhaps as little as five minutes, ten at the most. While that may seem excessively cautious, it is not.
I am 63 and in January of 2007, I returned to swimming for fitness after just an eighteen-month layoff. I started at no more than about fifteen minutes of swimming and weight training and I still suffered a strain of my rotator cuff, one of the most frequently injured parts of the body for athletes. So my caution is from personal experience. Gradually increase your sessions, at first by single minutes and then, when you get up to fifteen or twenty, you can increase by three or even five minute increments.
Another preventative is proper diet. Make sure you supplement your diet with good vitamins and other nutrients. Glucosamine/chondroitin for bones and joints and aloe supplements for the soft tissues.
In spite of all the precautions, sometimes injuries still occur. A good rule of thumb is to decrease your workload or back off for a few days. I favor the decrease rather than completely stopping, but sometimes cessation is necessary. You have to gauge things yourself.
With almost any acute injury, you’re almost always better off with ice or cold applications. Again, proper nutrition and supplements are very important. Try to keep up range of motion exercises to the involved part. The rule of thumb is that if something worsens the symptoms, don’t do it, but always try to use the part within the limitations of your pain.
I tend to shy away from anti-inflammatories such as Motrin or Aleve, but sometimes they’re necessary. Inflammation is part of the body’s normal healing process and stopping it interferes with the healing. However, inflammation does cause a small amount of seepage into the area which can set up adhesions. Adhesions can become a problem themselves. It’s a bit of a tightrope and sometimes an anti-inflammatory can forestall that result. You may want to talk to a personal trainer or even your physician first. However, be sure that your physician is attuned to the musculo-skeletal system. Physiatrists or rehabilitation specialists can be especially helpful.
The goal is to return to activity and it’s best to continue activity, albeit at a reduced level. No matter what, keep your eyes on the prize. Don’t give up. The injury is only a bump in the road. Persevere.
Dr. Roderick T. Beamen is a Board Certified Family Physician certified for suboxone therapy. Omega Pain Care is located at 3101 University Blvd, Suite 203.
Article Published in the 03-08 Issue of EU Jacksonville
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