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Workouts - Exercise and Injuries

By Paul Stephen Lubicz – The Wellbeing Manager

No matter what type of exercise you do, or what sport you play, if you are a man or women, injuries are something to be aware of. Following some general guidelines and good exercise habits to help reduce the risk injuries, will help you enjoy your sport or daily activity with the maximum fun.

While it is impossible to prevent every injury, research suggests that injury rates could be reduced by 25% if people that exercise took appropriate preventative action.

Here are some Good Exercise Habits to Help Avoid Injury!

Always warm up before exercising or playing sport

Warm muscles are less susceptible to injuries. A thorough warm up is essential for injury prevention. Make sure your warm up suits your activity. You may simply start your sport slowly, or practice specific stretching or mental rehearsal depending upon your activity.

Avoid playing / exercising when very tired or in pain

This is may allow for a careless injury if you are tiered and unable to concentrate. Pain indicates a problem. You need to pay attention to warning signs your body provides.

Work within your current physical condition

Keep in mind the weekend warrior has a high rate of injury. If you play any sports, you should adequately train for that sport. It is a mistake to expect the sport itself to get you into shape. Many injuries can be prevented by following a regular conditioning program of exercises designed specifically for your sport.

Know the rules of the sport

The rules are designed, in part, to keep things safe. This is extremely important for anyone who participates in a contact sport. Rules of conduct, including illegal blocks and tackles are enforced to keep athletes healthy. Know them and follow them.

Wear appropriate protective gear and equipment

Protective pads, mouth guards, helmets, gloves and other equipment are used for good reason. Protective equipment that fits you well can save your knees, hands, teeth, eyes, and head. Think twice before you play without your safety gear.

Rest

Athletes with high consecutive days of training may be susceptible to an increase in injuries. While many athletes think the more they train, the better they'll play, this is a misconception. Rest is a critical component of exercise and sport. Rest can make you stronger and prevent injuries of overuse and fatigue.

These are two factors that weigh heavily when it comes to predicting a sports injury

Having a history of injury

Previous injuries to a muscle or joint tend to develop into chronic problem areas for many athletes. It is extremely important to warm up, and stretch previously injured parts.

A high number of consecutive days of training

Recovery days reduce injury rates by giving muscles and connective tissues an opportunity to repair between training sessions.

Recovery Times

There is a large amount of variables in sports injuries says Dr Paul D Jackson – “Sports Medicine Specialist from the Sports and Musculoskeletal Medicine Clinic at BUPA Wellness” , even with apparently similarities in different cases. Such is the case in high level sport the soft tissue injuries are often assessed with portable ultrasound scanners to quantify the degree of tissue damage and the precise location. The rehabilitation programme will be dependent on both the scan results and the examination of the athlete. One hamstring injury might be OK in a week and another could take months.

Some of the most common injuries

These injuries are amongst some of the most common

• grazes
• cuts
• fractures
• traumatic soft tissue injuries
• bruises
• joint sprains
• muscle tears i.e. hamstring tears
• sprained ankles
• stress fractures
• impact injuries like dislocations
• concussion

Identify an Injury

Identifying an injury before it gets worst is a key factor in preventing further injuries and also to help with a speedy recovery time. Simply there is no substitute for having an assessment by a qualified sports physician soon after the injury for a precise diagnosis!

Joint Pain
Joint pain, particularly in the joints of the knee, ankle, elbow and wrist, should never be ignored. Because these joints are not covered by muscle, there is rarely a muscular origin. Joint pain that lasts more than 48 hours requires a physician diagnosis.

Tenderness At A Specific Point
If you can elicit pain at a specific point in a bone, muscle or joint, by pressing your finger into it, you may have a significant injury. If the same spot on the other side of the body does not produce the same pain, you should see a physician.

Swelling
Swelling is usually quite obvious, and can be seen, but occasionally you may feel swollen without outward signs. Swelling is always a sign of a sports injury and should never be ignored. Often, swelling within a joint will cause pain, stiffness, or may produce a clicking sound as the tendons snap over one another because they have been pushed into a new position due to swelling.

Reduced Range Of Motion
If swelling isn't obvious, you can usually find by checking for a reduced range of motion in a joint. If there is significant swelling within a joint, you will lose range of motion; the limb will only go so far in each direction. Again, compare one side of the body with the other to identify major differences. If there are any, you have an injury that needs attention.

Comparative Weakness
Comparing one side to the other for weakness is often hard to do, but can be a good clue to identify significant injury. One way to tell is to lift the same weight with the right and left side and look at the result. Often therapists will test comparative weakness manually or with special equipment.

Numbness and Tingling
Never ignore numbness or tingling. Often related to nerve compression, these warning signs may indicate serious injury and should always be seen by a physician.