By Bryce Paschold, DPM, Orthopedic & Sports Enhancement Center
Have you recently started a new exercise program? Maybe the idea has crossed your mind, but you are still mulling it over? Before starting any new exercise plan, it’s important to keep a few things in mind so that an injury doesn’t sabotage your good intentions. Injuries are most likely to occur as individuals are just starting out, because their bodies are not acquainted with the increase in force and strain over their muscles and tendons, whether that be the repetitive stress of running, the impact of a new CrossFit program, or the repetitions of a new weightlifting routine. In fact, according to a study performed by the University of Arkansas, there has been a 35 percent increase in exercise related injuries in the past few years.
The most common injuries that occur with beginning a new program are overuse injuries. Unlike an acute injury, overuse injuries do not occur after a single traumatic event. They instead are the result of repetitive minor injuries. According to the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and the U.S. Center for Disease Control, overuse injuries are responsible for nearly half of all sports-related injuries in youth athletes, specifically those in the middle and high school age group. The two most common of these injuries include stress fractures and tendinitis. These are most likely to be caused by starting or getting back into a sport or exercise program too quickly without enough of a gradual transition, or by not taking an adequate rest during the course of a week, month, or even year.
Thankfully, there are many ways to start a new exercise program safely. A few tips include the following:
- Increase your activities and duration of activity gradually. As a general rule for runners, do not increase your distance by more than 10 percent during the course of any one week.
- Do not push yourself past the breaking point. If experiencing pain or discomfort, stop the activity that is causing the problem and either rest the body for the remainder of the day or move to a different exercise or activity that is targeting a different muscle group.
- Cross train and mix up the types of workouts that you do. Do not perform the same type of exercise every day.
- Do not perform high-impact activities every day. Swimming, biking, exercise machines, and weightlifting are great ways to get your heart rate up while limiting the amount of higher stress on your joints that come with high-impact activities such as running.
- Give your body a break. Do not exercise seven days per week. Overuse injuries are more likely to occur without proper rest and recuperation of muscle groups.
- Stretch before and after exercise. Unbeknownst to many, stretching is just as important after exercising as it is before.
- Make it a habit to do a gradual warm up before and cool down after any high-intensity workout.
- Wear comfortable, supportive shoe gear to avoid any foot or ankle injuries!
- Stay hydrated before, during, and after your workout.
- Make sure you are vitamin sufficient. Vitamin D is especially important since this vitamin insufficiency is directly associated with a higher risk for a stress fracture.
Exercise is the key to a long, healthy life. So make sure to take care of your body and exercise safely in order to live life to its fullest!
Dr. Bryce Paschold, DPM, provides a complete range of foot and ankle services for patients of any age. He is board certified and subspecializes in foot and ankle sports medicine. For any foot or ankle-related problem, no matter how big or small, please feel free to contact Dr. Paschold at the Orthopedic & Sports Enhancement Center at 309-663-9300, visit their Facebook page, or check out their website at www.sportsenhancement.net.
Photo courtesy of Orthopedic & Sports Enhancement Center