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Sprains & things Exercise injuries: prevention and care By Dr. Andrea Avery Regular exercise has numerous benefits and is recommended for optimal health and well-being. A well-rounded exercise program should include aerobic activity, stretching for flexibility and isometric activity such as calisthenics or weights. Unfortunately, at times you can be injured, which may interrupt your usual routine. There are ways to help prevent injuries. These include: 1) seeing your doctor before starting an exercise program if you have chronic medical conditions; 2) start at a low level of intensity and duration - as short as 10-15 minutes initially; 3) wait three to four weeks before increasing intensity or duration; and 4) warm up and stretch for a least five to 10 minutes prior to exercise, and cool down and do light stretching afterwards. Common injuries include the following: • Strains are a stretching or tearing of a tendon. Tendons connect muscle to bone. Strains occur due to overly forceful muscle tightening or contraction. • Sprains are caused by stretching or tearing a ligament. Ligaments connect bone to bone. Sprains occur due to extreme twisting or stretching injuries. • Knee pain (patellofemoral pain or runner's knee). This condition causes pain behind the kneecap and can occur with walking, running, jumping and bicycling. There may be a number of reasons contributing to the cause of this condition, such as the angle at which the female leg extends from the hip to the knee to the foot. It can also be caused by abnormalities in alignment of the knees or by being "knock-kneed" or overprorating (arches turning inward) during exercise. • Back pain. This may occur in association with many different types of physical activity. Weak back muscles, deconditioning and obesity may contribute to back problems. Most commonly, the pain is due to a strain. • Tendinitis is inflammation caused by injury or strain to a tendon. It may affect the wrist, elbow, biceps, shoulders, knee, or Achilles (heel), among other areas. How do you treat all of these injuries? In general, use R-I-C-E: Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. Rest means decreasing the level of intensity and duration of your exercise sessions until you feel improvement. For more severe injuries, you may need to stop the activity for several days or more. When restarting an activity, do so at a decreased level of intensity and increase gradually back for your usual routine. Ice is useful in the first two or three days after an acute injury. It helps to decrease swelling and inflammation and should be applied for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours. Compression (wrapping) with an ace wrap or neoprene-type brace is helpful for most of these injuries by providing support and protection to the injured area. Elevation, raising the injured area, when possible, helps to decrease swelling and minimize throbbing pain. Aspirin, acetominophen or anti-flammatory medications and muscle relaxant medicine also are often useful in aiding recovery. Applying heat is useful for injuries lasting more than a few days. Moist heating pads or heating bottles are helpful for muscle spasms, stiff joints and muscle tightness. For the pregnant woman, exercise is generally safe and recommended. Always confer with your doctor in regard to your exercise program. The benefits of regular exercise are numerous and worthwhile. By paying attention to preventive measures and promptly caring for common injuries, a healthy, active lifestyle can be enjoyed. Dr. Andrea Avery specializes in internal medicine at UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange and is an associate clinical professor at the UC Irvine School of Medicine. Information: ucihealth.com or 877.UCI.DOCS. |
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