Avoiding Fractures and Other Injuries

1/13/2022

Whether you’re an athlete or an amateur, one wrong move can lead to an injury that can put your fitness regimen in timeout. Learn to identify common types of injuries and know how to protect your skeletal framework and prevent injuries.

According to Harvard University, there are three common types of injuries: sprains, strains and tendonitis. Sprains, or ligament injuries, can be as minor as a stretched ligament and as serious as tears in the ligament fibers. Strains are injuries to the muscle and tendonitis is inflammation of the connective tissue in and around the joints.

You can prevent exercise perils by taking a few of the following precautions:

Omit overtraining. Common overtraining mistakes include lack of rest between challenging workouts and training for too long, which can gradually lead to a serious injury. Balance hard training days with easier days, and when in pain, avoid activities that aggravate the condition.

Use the proper gear. If you’re a runner who hits the track or trails regularly, invest in a new pair of shoes every 500 miles. After accumulating this amount of usage, running shoes can lose support and fail to provide proper cushioning to protect the body from the repeated impact of running. This can lead to stress fractures, tendonitis and other injuries.

Stretch yourself. While it isn’t clear whether or not stretching exercises actually prevent injuries, they can play a role in helping you maintain muscle flexibility and range of motion, which in turn could help you reduce your injury risk. Doing an active warm-up such as jogging or riding a stationary bike prior to stretching and beginning a workout helps to warm up your muscles and reduce injuries.

Proper nutrition. Take care of your bones from the inside out by incorporating nutritious foods known for their bone-strengthening properties. Consuming at least three servings of dairy each day can provide the recommended intake of calcium your bones need to stay strong. Fatty fish, eggs and reduced-fat fortified foods―such as cereal, milk and cheese―provide abundant sources of vitamin D, the key nutrient that helps the body absorb calcium. Sunflowers, chickpeas, sesame seeds and foods containing soybeans, are all good sources of phytochemicals—plant estrogens that can help slow bone loss. Avoid excessive consumption of carbonated drinks, sugary beverages and alcohol, which can leach your body’s essential calcium stores and make you more prone to bone fractures.

If you become injured with a muscle strain or sprain, most experts recommend treating the affected area with protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation―also known as PRICE―within 72 hours to prevent further inflammation. Keep in mind that when your swelling and pain subside, you should carefully plan your rehabilitation, return to athletic activity slowly and gradually build up your strength and mobility. Participation in resistance training, such as weightlifting or using stretchy exercise bands, increases bone density and help you get stronger. Heat and massage will warm up your injured areas before activity and ice afterward can reduce inflammation.

Simple, preventative measures can help you stave off injuries. But if they do occur, do not try to ‘push through’; you could do more extensive damage and increase your recovery and rehabilitation time. See a medical professional if you do not see improvement in your injury within 5-7 days for most strains and sprains. Bobbie Sims, PA-C has over 18 years of prior experience in sports medicine and is currently accepting patients of all ages for both injuries as well as routine healthcare. To make an appointment with Bobbie Sims, PA-C go to Navarro-Docs.com or call (903) 872-6065.

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