As we get older we take on more responsibilities – work, family, property – and, with that, no matter how badly we want to continue being active, sometimes our exercise and fitness can take a back seat during the week. Consistency is key to reduce our risk of injury.
Then, on the weekend, many of us turn into ‘weekend warriors’ – after little to no activity or exercise during the week, we try to make up for it in the two days allotted to us on the weekend. It seems like good intentions, and we know that two days of exercise and working out is better than none. However, this can become a problematic routine – especially for those individuals who used to be incredibly active in their younger years. They want to keep that pace, they push themselves to their limits, and… they open themselves up to injury.
Weekend warriors can suffer injuries from overuse, or even those that can be major and traumatic in nature. Common weekend warrior injuries that occur are:
Golfers elbow
Tennis elbow
Shin splints
Achilles tendonitis
Runner’s knee
Iliotibial band syndrome
Sprained ankles
Stress fractures
Injuries such as these can occur for any number of reasons, but the most common include:
lack of conditioning
lack of warm-up and stretching,
lack of strength and endurance necessary to complete the activity,
lack of flexibility,
anatomic/biomechanical causes.
At Quincy PT, we ask that you take some basic steps in order to reduce the potential for injury. And, in the event you are injured in the Quincy, Massachusetts area, and are in need of PT, do not hesitate to reach out to us!
Keep to a regular routine: Exercise and activty should be performed regularly and should include a variety of cardiovascular activity, stretching, and weightlifting.
Use the proper equipment in the proper way: Don’t start at a weight that you think you can do, or one that you used to do. Give yourself some sets to see what your working weight should be. And, if you aren’t sure how to use a machine, ask questions!
Perform a warm-up before any activity: Warming up the muscles prior to exertion can help to prevent sprains.
Listen to your body: No weekend warrior should live by the “no pain, no gain” mantra. If you feel any pains, or any irregularities during an activity, you should modify the exercise to make it tolerable or pain free.
Do not increase intensity too quickly: With any activity or exercise, start with a level that you can easily handle, and do not increase by jumping immediately into the highest intensity you ‘think’ your body can handle. Progressive loading is key.