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It is amazing how many people who exercise and/or play sports
do not understand the human body. As you begin your exercise
program, pay attention to how your body feels before, during,
and after exercise. Learn what feels good and what feels
uncomfortable. You will be able to make adjustments that
will enhance your routine. Learn what muscles perform what
movements. By learning to listen to your body, you will
gain tremendous insight into what works for you. Keep a
journal that describes how you feel during and after each
workout. You may notice some interesting patterns.
"Take exercise; for whilst inaction weakens the body, work
strengthens it; the former brings on premature old age, the
latter prolongs youth." Cornelius Celsus (10-60 AD)
TRAIN, DON'T STRAIN
Please do not pay attention to this "no pain, no gain"
nonsense. Don't misunderstand - pushing yourself is OK
and even necessary to make gains. However, pain is your
body's way of warning you that something is wrong - pay
attention and heed this warning! Replace "No pain, No gain"
with "TRAIN, DON'T STRAIN." Many people play a sport in an
attempt to get in shape. You must get in shape to play a
sport! Start training weeks or months before the season
opens, not the day before the first game, first ski trip
or first tennis match.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO FOR SPORTS INJURIES: R.I.C.E.
If you have pain while exercising, stop and remember
R.I.C.E. - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.
Rest - stop what you are doing and do not stress the
area for at least one day.
Ice the area as soon as possible for 15 minutes every one
to two hours. An alternative to an ice pack is ice massage.
Freeze water in a Styrofoam cup. Hold the cup and
massage the ice directly against the skin for about
5 minutes (until your skin turns numb).
Compression- helps decrease swelling. Wrap an elastic
bandage around the injured area. The bandage is too
tight if the area becomes numb, begins to cramp, or begins
to hurt. Elevation of the area above the level of the
heart will help decrease swelling by allowing fluid to
flow back toward the heart. Continue elevation of the
injured area while sleeping.
See an article about chiropractors and athletes:
Chiropractic and Athletes
WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A DOCTOR
See a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician(CCSP) or Sports
Medicine M.D. or D.O.(Osteopathic physician) to get your
problem evaluated and treated correctly if (1) pain persists
for more than 1 week, (2) you can't move the injured area,
(3) you get an infection (look for spreading redness under
the skin). You only have one body; take care of it
properly.
See Active Release Techniques® and
Graston Technique for more information
on injury care and prevention.
REHABILITATION: R.E.S.T.
As you are healing from an injury, a rehabilitation program
becomes essential. Specific exercises must be done for
the injured area which include range of motion, stretching
and strengthening exercises. Once you are able to return
to your regular exercise program, remember
REST: Resume Exercise Below the Soreness Threshold. It
may be helpful to think about injuries in 4 stages:
Stage 1: You are able to exercise, but you have pain
afterwards.
Stage 2: You are able to exercise, but you have pain
during exercise. This pain does not effect the quality or
quantity of your exercise, e.g.. if you run, the pain does
not affect how fast or far you run.
Stage 3: You have pain during exercise and it affects your
performance. e.g.. If you run, the pain slows you down or
causes you to shorten your distance, or both.
Stage 4: You are unable to exercise at all due to pain.
When to return to your activity is best discussed with your
doctor.
PREVENTION: "TRAIN, DON'T STRAIN!"
TRAIN - Technique, Recovery, Aerobics, Increase Strength,
Nutrition
1. Technique - Proper form and equipment are critical to
injury prevention.
2. Recovery - Start your exercise program slowly; gradually
increase your activity. Warm up before you exercise and
cool down after you exercise. You can use an excellent
product called
The Stick.
3. Aerobics - Train your heart with exercises like walking,
biking, etc. at least 3 times per week for 20-40 minutes at
your target heart rate.
4. Increase Strength - Strengthen your body by weight
training at least 2 days/week with 48 hours rest between
workouts. Exercise all muscle groups (chest, back,
shoulders, arms, legs, midsection); start with 2 sets of
10 reps per exercise.
5. Nutrition - Eat right! Your diet should be about 55-60%
carbohydrates, 15% protein, and 25% fat. The most
important nutrient is water; drink at least eight 8 ounce
glasses per day. Drink 16 ounces of water before aerobic
exercise. Weigh yourself before and after exercise.
You should not lose more than 2% of your body weight.
Replace each pound lost with one pint of water.
MUSCLE SORENESS
You should NOT be sore after a workout! In the beginning,
this may occur even if you are careful. However, soreness
after every workout does not mean your workouts are
effective. It means you are doing damage to your muscles
by not letting them recover properly. Muscles grow by
tearing down and building back up. The building up phase
requires rest. Constant muscle soreness means you are not
giving your body the time it needs to rebuild and grow.
Adjust your routine to allow your muscles to properly
recover. Ways to prevent muscle soreness include proper
warm up and cool down, stretching, and ice applied
immediately after exercise to the involved area.
Do not underestimate the importance of resting.
Recovery from your workouts is just as important as the
workout itself. Many elite athletes, after being forced to
rest due to injury or illness, return and perform at a
higher level than before the injury. The symptoms of
over-training - fatigue, general body malaise, disinterest,
sleeping difficulties, listlessness, sweating - are sure
signs you need rest. Either decrease the intensity of your
workouts or just skip one.
Use the
Stretch Out Strap to help decrease soreness.
For more information:
National Athletic Trainer's Association
Athletic Advisor
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SPORTS INJURIES: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY