There is no doubt that regular exercise is a big part of staying healthy. Unfortunately, despite your best efforts, you may find yourself experiencing mild injuries while working out. Exercise injuries can happen to anyone, regardless of their fitness level, experience or ability. Though you may not be able to completely eliminate your chances of getting hurt during exercise, there are some steps you can take to minimize your risk of injury. (more…)
There is no doubt that regular exercise is a big part of staying healthy. Unfortunately, despite your best efforts, you may find yourself experiencing mild injuries while working out. Exercise injuries can happen to anyone, regardless of their fitness level, experience or ability. Though you may not be able to completely eliminate your chances of getting hurt during exercise, there are some steps you can take to minimize your risk of injury.
1. Start with a warm-up and end with a cool-down.
The warm-up period is essential for preparing your body for exercise. Warm-up activities, like jogging in place or jumping rope, help gradually increase your heart rate and loosen up your joints and muscles. A cool-down period after exercising is just as important for reducing injury. To cool-down, you can try walking for 5–10 minutes after your workout to slowly bring your heart rate back to normal.
2. Stretch after your workouts.
Though stretching before exercising used to be common practice, the benefits of this are hotly debated in the exercise world. There is no definitive proof that stretching positively or negatively influences injuries in athletes, but stretching after your workout when there is a large blood supply to your muscles can help lead to increased muscle flexibility, which in turn reduces your chances of injury.
3. Use taping or bracing to support your weak areas during workouts.
Research from the National Center for Biotechnology Information shows that techniques like athletic taping and bracing can be effective for helping support and reduce further injury in those who repeatedly experience ankle sprains. Though it may seem simple, effective taping and bracing can actually be quite complex, so it is best that you visit a fitness or healthcare professional who is experienced with these methods.
4. Listen to your body.
Many athletes and those who are regularly active may be tempted to push their limits in an effort to increase fitness performance. This can sometimes be dangerous if you are not under the supervision of a trained professional. If you feel pain while doing cardio or lifting weights, you may have an injury. Pause your workout for the day and give your body time to recover. The same holds true for exercising through an injury, as this can hinder healing.
If you experience pain as opposed to soreness for any period of time after a workout, you should consult a physician. Our highly-trained sports medicine specialists can determine what is causing the pain and prescribe the best treatment. Call us or contact us online to schedule an appointment.
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5 Questions You Should Ask Before Any Orthopedic Surgery
After your doctor tells you surgery is required, it can be both frightening and intimidating. There are some things you can do to ease some of the stress involved prior to having orthopedic surgery. By asking your surgeon these five questions, you should better understand what to expect and hopefully ease your anxieties as well as become better informed before undergoing an operation. (more…)
Tips for a Fast Recovery After Your Hip Replacement
Hip replacement surgery helps ease pain and restores flexibility. This should make it easier for you to do normal activities, but keep in mind that you might not be able to do them right away. A full recovery from this type of surgery typically takes anywhere from two to six months. You can help the recovery process by doing the following. (more…)
Easing Back Into Exercise After Your Knee Surgery
One of the more common types of orthopedic surgery is knee surgery. People put a lot of stress on their knees by walking, jogging and by partaking in many other common kinds of exercise and activity. Fortunately, partly because of the frequency of these injuries and surgeries, a great deal is known about the best ways to ease back into exercise and back into an active lifestyle. (more…)
Symptoms and Treatment of Tennis Elbow
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Also commonly referred to as lateral epicondylitis by the medical community, tennis elbow is a condition that involves the outer part of a person’s elbow becoming sore and experiencing a tender sensation. The underlying medical issue involves inflammation of the tendons that bring together the muscles in a person’s forearm just on the outside of the elbow. Tennis elbow can be either acute or chronic in nature, depending on the situation. (more…)
Stress Fractures Explained: Prevention, Causes and Treatment
A fracture is a mini-break or hairline crack in your bone, and even though it doesn’t result in a true break or splinter, it can still cause pain and disruption of motor function and normal activity in the affected area. Stress fractures usually result in pain or tenderness around the affected area. (more…)
Best Exercises During Pregnancy
Whether you are expecting a single baby or multiple, pregnancy puts your body to the test with an incredible number of changes. Most notably, a constantly growing belly and frequent hormone fluctuations put an immense amount of strain on your bones, joints, muscles and ligaments. You can keep your body in great shape by continuing to perform gentle exercise routines as long as they are permitted by your doctor. Here are five exercises that doctors often regard as safe throughout pregnancy. (more…)
New Approaches to Measuring Bone Loss and Bone Strength
Bone density is the mineral matter per square centimeter of bones within the human body. This has traditionally been cited as a major indicator of bone strength. On the other hand, bones that are less dense are lacking mineral components which makes them more porous and susceptible to breaking. Density measurements are advised for those at risk of developing osteoporosis but this assessment alone may not prove sufficient. Dense bones can still be weak, however, new bone assessment techniques are being explored in hopes of providing a more well-rounded picture of overall bone health. (more…)
Male Smokers at Higher Risk for Osteoporosis and Fractures
A study recently published in the Annals of American Thoracic Society had some interesting findings regarding the impact of smoking on bone density and fractures. Researchers studied over 3,000 current and former smokers between 45 and 80 years old. All participants had smoked an average of a pack a day every day for at least 10 years.
Best Cardio Workouts for Knee Pain Sufferers
Many people suffering from knee pain may not be exercising properly. There is an assumption that a low-impact session that will go easy on the knees won’t give a high-intensity cardio workout with discourages people from working out. This, however, is likely to cause further injury.
In fact, there are a number of ways to get a good cardio workout without causing additional pain or damage to your knees. Of course, you should always consult with your orthopedic surgeon or Florida physical therapist regarding any exercises you do after a knee injury or surgery.
