Overuse Injuries

As a physical therapist and someone who is very active, I find it interesting that with the amount of information we have available today, many of us still have overuse injuries such as strains, tendinitis, etc. In fact, overuse injuries comprise much of what we see in the clinic. There are numerous reasons why overuse injuries can occur, but I think the three major reasons overuse injuries occur are as follows:

1. WE NEED TO MINIMIZE REPETITIVE ACTIVITIES AND POSITIONS, WITH SITTING BEING THE WORST CULPRIT: Any activity that is repetitive in nature can pose problems for our bodies. Sports, work or occupational demands, and yes, even sitting, are repetitive. Our bodies will start to break down, or tightnen up in some areas, and get weaker in certain areas, with any repetitive activity. We CAN limit the effects of repetitive activities through.....you guessed it - proper exercise, as well as maintaining optimal postures and positions as much as possible, although that can be very challenging. Building up enough strength, mobility/flexibility, and endurance in our bodies (basically becoming more fit) will give us more room to play with, and allow us to be able to better withstand the stresses placed on our bodies everyday, whatever they may be. Sitting in particular is generally bad for us - it tightens up the neck and shoulder girdle, hips, as well as the low back, and tends to weaken the all-important posterior chain muscles of the back and hips if we spend too much time there. So get up as much as possible out of that office chair, recliner, or couch!

2. OUR APPROACH TO ACTIVITY/EXERCISE: We should exercise so we can perform our activity or sport; not perform our activity/sport in order to get exercise. I'll concede that any exercise is preferrable than none, but we've seen too often where people engage in activities that their bodies are not physically prepared to endure. And the result is an overuse injury. Many people don’t allow their bodies to adapt to the stresses (i.e sport or activity) they are performing. When exercising or participating in a sport/activity, tissues (muscle and tendons) undergo a microtrauma in which there is a tearing down and a building up, creating a change. Changes can be very beneficial. But - if too much change occurs, the microtrauma becomes a macrotrauma and turns into a chronic problem such as tendinitis or a major muscle strain. Engaging in an exercise program appropriate for you (and we are all different - with different fitness levels and goals) will help you develop the physical capacity to engage in whatever activity you pursue, and minimize the chance of developing an overuse injury.

3. WE NEED TO EXERCISE ENOUGH FOR WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO: One example - we want to be able to do our yardwork and lawncare without any problems. Let's stand back and examine exactly what we're doing when we do yardwork, and the physical demands associated with it. Some examples include: bending and squatting repeatedly to plant things, lifting bags of seed or mulch upwards of 40-50lbs., pushing a lawnmower or wheelbarrow upwards of 30-60 minutes. Even if we lighten the loads and take breaks, we're still lifting or carrying repeatedly. Where we see problems in the clinic is where we don't prepare ourselves to be able to do something like yardwork, then get out and try to do it for a couple of hours. Can you see how problems may develop? It can be compared to not running for months, then going out and running for 2 hours. It is in our best interests if we keep our bodies prepared to be able to do activities like these. And that is best done through.............regular exercise (as well as proper nutrition, rest/recovery, and mental preparation - other topics for future posts!).