| |
The 3 Pitfalls that Lead to
Chronic Injuries
If you're currently suffering from an injury that is keeping you from exercising or requiring you to
modify what you do for exercise, chances are that you didn't get to this point overnight. Overuse
injuries and injuries that end with "itis" (meaning inflammation) are often chronic issues that have
become acute. These injuries are usually tied to a number of small incidents that have occurred over
a period of weeks, months and even years.
Most people don't stop and think about their bodies when they sustain a mild to moderate injury. Minor
injuries especially, are rarely given the time and consideration that they deserve. It's often the
minor injuries that turn into major problems down the road.
After working with people with musculoskeletal pain for more than 17 years, I've identified three steps
that lead to long-term musculoskeletal issues:
1. Denial
Most people deny the seriousness of their injury, especially when it's something like a sore elbow
from working on a computer all day. If it's not broken or gushing blood, then it's nothing to worry
about, right? Wrong. Thinking that your sore elbow is no big deal or that it will clear up on its
own is a mistake. Denying that there is anything seriously wrong enables you to miss a very important
window at the onset- the very beginning is when you can do so much to avoid cumulative problems down
the road.
2. Pain avoidance.
We all know that the body doesn't like pain, so when we experience pain we begin to change our habits
and mannerisms in order to avoid it. People who have chronic lower back pain are prime examples of
this. When they stand for a certain period of time, or garden, or walk, it hurts their back. What
do they do? They start to avoid activities that are going to hurt them. Eventually, any movement
or activity that is similar to those that initially caused the discomfort will cause pain as well.
It's a snowball effect that gradually gets worse.
If the stairs hurt your knee, you stop doing step aerobics. The next sacrifice is to cut out squats
and lunges. It is at a time like this is when many folks will reach their pain threshold. They will
finally seek therapy, surgery or medications for relief.
3. Shortsightedness.
When people finally do take action against their pain, it is often only enough to mitigate the
current symptom. Just enough therapy to calm things down. Or a surgery to repair the damaged
part or pills to mask the pain for now….. Unfortunately, this does nothing for all the factors from
the previous incidents leading to the major pain.
Don't blame your aches and pains on the easy cop out, "I'm getting older". I tell my clients, it's not
that you're getting older, it's that you've been doing things WRONG longer. And pain is the price that
is paid.
The cumulative mechanical stress that the body has experienced demands cumulative action to first slow,
then stop and finally reverse the damage. Equally important is to recognize that it is never too late
to change and it is never too late to recognize what is happening today and keep it from haunting you
tomorrow.
A corrective exercise program designed around your specific needs can literally teach your body to move
and function differently. Bad old habits can be replaced with good new habits. This gives the body a
chance to restore itself instead of breaking down more over time.
The body has a tremendous capacity for healing when given the right environment and provided the right
tools. The right exercise, proper nutrition and a healthy mind can work miracles.
|
|
|
3 Daily Stretches That Are a Must
When we think of being healthy and fit, three ideas that immediately come to mind are eating well, cardiovascular
training, and resistance training. These are in fact the top three elements to being healthy and fit although
the most commonly forgot about piece to complete the puzzle is stretching. Stretching is the key to improving
and increasing muscle flexibility. It is also crucial to insure injury prevention, maintain muscle efficiency,
and help with muscle recovery after a cardiovascular or resistance training workout. Keeping our muscles
stretched and limber helps us to maintain proper posture, correct form during your workouts, as well as feel
good throughout the day. Body Physics has identified the following 3 stretches to be performed daily to complete
our overall health and fitness puzzle. For a stretch to be effective, it must be performed and held for a
minimum of 30 seconds. This allows our muscles time to relax, release, and lengthen therefore increasing our
overall flexibility. For maximal results, perform these stretches twice daily, once in the morning and once in
the afternoon or evening. Because these stretches take so little time to perform, there's no reason why we can't
get them done daily, right??? Great, glad we agree on that!
1. Low Back Stretch
Lying down with your legs straight, bring one knee up towards your chest and pull the knee in tight with your
hands and hold there for 30 seconds. Repeat this same stretch on the other side as well.
2. Low Back / Glut Stretch
Lying down, cross one leg over the other and pull back on the leg that is not crossed to help maximize
the stretch. Repeat this same stretch on the other side as well.
3. Hamstring Stretch
Standing up, place one leg up on a platform. Make sure the foot
that is on the ground is pointing directly forward and the leg that
is up is straight as well. Lean forward without bending at the
back so that you remain upright. Repeat this same stretch on the
other side as well.
|
|
|
