Most Common Exercise Injuries and What To Do About Them
WE EXERCISE to keep fit and look good, not to get injured. However, if you exercise wrongly or already have predisposing conditions that you are not aware of, an injury can happen. Exercise injuries can become chronic, so prevention is always better than a cure. Arm yourself with the facts on the most common exercise injuries, how to prevent them and what to do if you’ve already got them.
Heels
Symptoms: Stabbing pain at the bottom or behind the heel during activity when you get out of bed in the morning.
Possible Causes:
• Wearing high heels or thin-soled flats
• Vigorous exercise without the right shoes
• Being overweight
• Having flat or high arches.
Treatment:
• Rest and put ice.
• Stretch the heels and calves.
• Custom-made arch supports.
Prevention:
• Use shoes with shock-absorbent soles.
• Avoid prolonged standing or walking in thin-soled flats and high heels.
• Stretch calves and heels daily.
Shins
Symptoms: An aching pain in the front and outside part of the lower leg.
Possible causes:
• Weak shins and tight calves
• Flat feet
• Wrong shoes for the activity
Treatment:
• Rest and put ice.
• Change shoes.
• Use arch supports if needed.
• Strengthen shins and stretch calves.
Prevention:
• Wear the right shoes
• Strengthen shins
• Stretch calves
• Don’t overdo a new activity—build workout time gradually
Knee
Symptoms: Dull pain under or around the kneecap when descending stairs or hills. Knee pain or stiffness in the knees after sitting for a long time. Pain at the bottom of the kneecap.
Possible causes:
• Overuse
• Abrupt change in workout program
• Being overweight
• Wide hips
• Congenitally small misaligned kneecaps
• Weak thigh~muscles
• Osteoarthritis
• Worn-out knee cartilage.
Treatment:
• Rest and put ice
• Strengthening and stretching quadriceps and hamstrings
Prevention:
• Mix weight-bearing (aerobics, running) and non-weight bearing (cycling, swimming) exercises.
• Strengthen quads and hamstrings.
• Avoid deep lunges, large steps on the stairclimber, leg extensions with heavy weights, cycling with the seat too low, and downhill running.
• Wear the right shoes.
• Don’t run on very hard or very soft terrain.
Lower Back
Symptoms: Aching pain or muscle spasms in the lower back region.
Possible causes:
• Improper warm-up and exercise execution
• Weak abs
• Weak and tight lower back
• Being overweight
• Prolonged sitting
• Improper lifting techniques
• Sagging mattress
• Wrong sleeping positions (avoid sleeping on stomach).
Treatment: Rest in bed (not more than two days),
• Put ice
• Over-the-counter pain killers,
• Strengthen and stretch abs and lower back.
Prevention:
• Proper lifting techniques.
• Strong and flexible abs and lower back.
Shoulders
Symptoms: Aching or stabbing pain in shoulder joint. Limited range of motion. Pain when raising arms overhead or sideways.
Possible Causes:
• Overuse in activities and sports that require overhead movements;
• Weak rotator cuff muscles.
Treatment:
• Rest and put ice,
• Stretching
• Strengthen and stretch rotator cuff.
Prevention:
• Strengthen rotator cuff.
• Avoid too many overhead movements.
• Correct weight lifting techniques.
Elbow
Symptoms: Pain in the elbow or forearm, especially when you grip something.
Possible causes:
• Weak forearm and wrist muscles;
• Gripping too tightly;
• Using the wrists and forearms, instead of the strength of the legs, trunk, and shoulders when playing racquet sports;
• Using a racquet that is strung too tightly.
Treatment:
• Rest and put ice.
• Use an elbow brace.
• Stretch and strengthen the wrist and forearm.
Prevention:
• Strengthen and stretch wrists and forearms.
• Make sure racquets have the right grip size and are strung properly.
• Avoid gripping anything too tightly.
Leg Cramps
Symptoms: Agonizing rock-hard contraction during exercise or while sleeping at night. Possible causes:
• Dehydration
• Lack of potassium and calcium
• Tight muscles
• Muscle fatigue
Treatment:
• For immediate relief, gently massage affected area and slowly stretch the muscles.
Prevention:
• Drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day.
• Get enough potassium (a good source is bananas) and calcium (milk products or supplements).
• Stretch daily.
How To REST and Use ICE To Releive Pain
Rest—Stop doing the offending activity until pain goes away. Practice “active rest” by continuing to exercise the other parts of your body that are not affected so your fitness level doesn’t suffer.
Ice—Icing reduces swelling and inflammation. Ice the affected part every two hours for 48 hours. Never apply ice for more than 30 minutes (10 minutes only for bony areas like the knee) and never directly on skin (use a thin towel or cloth in between).
When to see a doctor: See a doctor if the pain does not go away within 48 to 72 hours or if the pain keeps recurring. The best doctor to see is an orthopedic doctor with training in sports medicine.
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- Tips On How To Avoid Exercise Injuries
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- A Hearty Workout for a Healthy Heart
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