Starting a new exercise program often feels like a challenge, but the thrill of initial success may motivate you to train more and more. Unfortunately, some people begin to exercise too much and cause themselves injury. Jacksonville orthopedic specialists recommend listening to your body to know when you’re exercising too hard. (more…)
Starting a new exercise program often feels like a challenge, but the thrill of initial success may motivate you to train more and more. Unfortunately, some people begin to exercise too much and cause themselves injury. Jacksonville orthopedic specialists recommend listening to your body to know when you’re exercising too hard.
Recommended Exercise Guidelines From the Experts
The amount of physical activity a person can comfortably tolerate depends on a variety of factors, including body shape, weight, and cardiovascular health. In general, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults aim to get 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity at least five days per week. This might include brisk walking, jogging, swimming or cycling at a moderate pace. For those who train more intensively, 20 to 60 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise also fulfills this requirement.
In addition to aerobic exercise, sports medicine experts recommend that adults engage in resistance training at least two days per week. Training each major muscle groups helps increase muscle mass and prevent loss of strength.
How Much Exercise Is Too Much?
The American College of Sports Medicine emphasizes that each individual should gradually progress to increase time spent exercising. For someone with a sedentary lifestyle, beginning with the recommended 150 weekly minutes of moderate-intensity exercise may be too much, too soon. Beginning slowly before increasing the frequency, time and intensity of exercise can prevent injury.
Technically, there is no upper limit to the number of minutes that can be safely spent exercising each week. Competitive athletes such as Michael Phelps or Lance Armstrong spend considerable time training without ill effects. However, some scientific evidence suggests that too much exercise may be harmful. For example, exercising longer than 60 minutes may temporarily stiffen blood vessels and decrease antioxidant levels. Exercising for too long may also affect the heart, increasing the risk of a myocardial infarction. Of course, one of the biggest risks of overtraining is injury. Exerting yourself at a higher intensity than usual may provoke a bone or joint injury, requiring physical therapy.
When considering your exercise routine, listen to your body. If you feel a nagging pain or worry that you’re reaching the limits of your physical exertion, reduce your exercise intensity. Building in a recovery period into your training schedule will also help you prevent negative effects of exercising too much.
What Exactly Are Shin Splints?
Leg pain is a fairly common occurrence for athletes—especially long distance runners. Running puts pressure on the joints, including the hips, knees and ankles, as well as on the feet and legs. Whenever pain develops in the lower legs it is often assumed to be shin splints, but shin splints are actually a specific problem that can develop in the shins, the bones that run along the front of the lower legs.
Shin splints are a sort of overuse injury that develop when inflammation builds up around the soft tissues of the lower leg. The injury can develop in two areas surrounding the shin. When they develop on the outer edge of the mid region of the leg, near the shinbone, they are called anterior shin splints. When they develop on the inside of the leg they are referred to as medial shin splints.
So, What Are Shin Splints?
There is some disagreement among experts as to what exactly causes shin splints to develop. The leading theories include:
- Shin splints may be caused by small tears in muscle that has been pulled off the bone.
- Inflammation in the tissue sheath that wraps around the shin bone.
- Inflammation in the muscles surrounding the shin bone.
Many sport and exercise doctors believe that they are actually caused by a combination of several of these factors. What medical experts do agree on is that shin splints are unique to athletes, they are caused by regular physical activity, and whatever is the primary cause of the pain, the best way to treat shin splints seems to be clear.
Because they are caused by overuse, shin splints are pretty much reserved for regular athletes. They can happen to athletes of any age or expertise level, from youth soccer all the way to professional ball players.
Rest Is Best
Experts agree that the best way to treat shin splints is with a combination of rest, ice and stretching. It is recommended to stop running entirely when shin splints first develop, as they will grow worse over time. Secondly, ice the shins regularly to reduce inflammation in the legs. Doing basic Achilles stretches often helps to ease the pain of shin splints and stretch the muscles and tissues surrounding the shin bone.
If you are going to continue working out while struggling with shin splints, the best thing you can do is wrap the injury. Don’t wait too long before seeking the medical expertise of a sports medicine doctor. The sooner you can get treatment and address the pain, the sooner the pain of shin splints can go away.
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Free Injury Evaluation Clinic
Bumps n’ Bruises is back!
Our sports medicine physicians will be available every Saturday morning through November for –
- Free injury assessment by an expert orthopedic specialist and physical therapist
- Recommended home treatment for simple injuries
- Treatment options and recovery information available for your coach and athletic trainer
- Open to every school and athletic program
There are three convenient locations for you to choose from! All locations are available from 9:00AM to 10:00AM for evaluations.
Brooks Rehabilitation CST
- 10423 Centurion Parkway North, Jacksonville, FL 32256 (Inside the YMCA)
Preferred Physical Therapy Fleming Island
- 1835 Eastwest Parkway, Suite 16, Fleming Island, FL 32003
Atlas Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine St. Johns
- 165 Hampton Point Drive, Suite 3, St. Augustine, FL 32092
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Supplements to Take for Healthier Bones
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Why Are Women More at Risk of ACL Injury?
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