After a particularly intense workout, it is common to feel some muscle pain the next day. What can be more challenging is distinguishing between soreness and an injury. Self-diagnosing workout-related aches and pains can be challenging. Visiting orthopedic surgeons can help you get an answer regarding the source of your muscle pain. (more…)
After a particularly intense workout, it is common to feel some muscle pain the next day. What can be more challenging is distinguishing between soreness and an injury. Self-diagnosing workout-related aches and pains can be challenging. Visiting orthopedic surgeons can help you get an answer regarding the source of your muscle pain.
Why Do Muscles Get Sore?
During exercise, your muscles must repeatedly contract and relax to propel your body through space. This means that tiny, individual muscle fibers tense and release over and over throughout the exercise period. The process of contracting muscles causes microscopic tears to develop in the muscle tissue. The surrounding connective tissue may also become mildly damaged or inflamed. This microstructural damage to muscle tissue is why muscles feel sore after injury.
Distinguishing Between Muscle Soreness and a True Injury
Feeling sore after your workout actually has a clinical name: delayed-onset muscle soreness. This is most likely to occur following the day in which the intensity or duration of your workouts increased. For example, lifting weights for the first time after a period of inactivity may cause microstructural muscle damage leading to soreness. The most common symptoms of muscle soreness are feeling stiff, slow to move, and pain in the muscles. Your muscles may also feel tender to the touch.
Actual injuries may occur for a variety of reasons, but they often feel different from muscle soreness. For example, pain in the shins may be a sign of shin splints while joint pain may signal a torn tendon or ligament. To determine whether an injury has occurred, it is essential to know your own baseline. If pain or soreness seems out of proportion to your typical experiences, it may be due to an injury. This is particularly true for pain that persists for more than five days.
Treatment for Muscle Soreness or an Injury
Regular muscle soreness diminishes with time. Within two to three days, you should be returning to baseline. Applying hot or cold therapy can help to ease muscle pain. You may also consider taking over-the-counter pain medications to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. Stretching your muscles, though painful, is another good way to help them heal more quickly.
If your muscle pain persists for more than a few days, it is time to visit Southeast Orthopedic Specialists for a thorough medical assessment. Our Jacksonville orthopedic experts have extensive experience treating injuries characterized by muscle or joint pain. Contact us today to learn how we can help you on your journey toward healing.
Tips for Exercising in Cold Weather
When it’s cold outside, exercising outdoors may seem like a last-resort choice. With the proper equipment and attitude, however, outdoor exercise in the wintertime can be a fun option. One of the best parts about exercising in the cold is that you often get streets, sidewalks and trails to yourself! Although slippery surfaces may make safety a concern, our orthopedic surgeons recommend taking the following precautions for winter exercise. (more…)
Difference Between Straps, Braces, and Tape
If you’ve got a sore, achy knee, you may think a brace, strap or athletic tape will alleviate the pain while you run or participate in your favorite athletic activity.
Depending on your diagnosis, these supportive devices can sometimes help. So what are the options available to you? Read on to learn more about the variety of braces, straps, and tape on the market today. (more…)
How to Help Kids Prepare for Orthopedic Surgery
Surgery — even minor procedures — can be traumatic for children. Children can easily become frightened and overwhelmed when they need the services of an orthopedic specialist. As a parent, you can take steps to lessen your child’s anxiety before surgery. Here are some things that can help. (more…)
5 Jobs That Ruin Your Feet
If you work a job that requires you to stand on your feet all day, you’re probably quite familiar with tired, sore and swollen feet. Other than foot pain, standing for long periods of time can increase your risk serious health problems like back pain, bunions, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, varicose veins, poor circulation and osteoarthritis in your lower extremities that could require the services of a foot or ankle surgeon.
And while any job that requires prolonged standing is bad for your feet, some are worse than others. Here’s a look at five of the worst and steps you can take to prevent problems. (more…)
Common Overuse Injuries
Athletes put their bodies to the test day after day, and sometimes the result isn’t too comfortable. Whether you are a dedicated athlete participating in high-level events, or you are someone who is doing their best to stay in shape and keep active, the bottom line is that injuries can happen to you.
While you might believe that it is the elite athlete who is putting in hours day and night to reach the height of their strength and ability, the average person is actually at the highest risk for experiencing an overuse injury. The reason for this partially comes down to preparation, but also technique during exercise. (more…)
Are Kids’ “Growing Pains” Real?
Many parents report that their kids wake them in the middle of the night complaining of limb pain. The idea behind these “growing pains” makes sense: as the theory goes, the process of bone elongation can trigger aches and pains in young children who are growing rapidly. According to our orthopedic doctors at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, however, the scientific research does not support the idea that kids’ “growing pains” are truly due to body growth. (more…)
How to Choose the Right Running Shoes
One of the biggest mistakes new runners make is failing to invest in proper equipment. While it’s true that running is an inexpensive sport — all you need is some footwear and the great outdoors — it’s essential to choose the right running shoes. Jacksonville orthopedic specialists recommend getting personalized recommendations and then visiting a local running store to achieve the best fit. (more…)
Common Orthopedic Conditions in Children
When you think of orthopedic issues, most think of concerns that develop with age—such as arthritis from osteoporosis, or overuse injuries that leave you with back, hip, shoulder or knee pain. But not all orthopedic injuries develop later in life. In some situations, even young children are exposed to chronic pain as a result of orthopedic conditions. While rare, these orthopedic conditions can interfere with proper development and may even impede bone growth. (more…)
Concussion Signs and Symptoms: When Should You Go to a Doctor?
Knowing how to identify and prepare yourself for injuries, including how to identify the need for medical help, is an essential life skill that too many people overlook. During this time of the year, football is in full swing, so at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, we want to educate people on the signs and symptoms of concussions. (more…)
