Endurance events are a test to both the mind and the body. They require not only physical stamina and endurance, but also the mental drive and determination to keep going when things start to get tough. Although it may seem less forceful than more explosive sports such as weight lifting or rugby, sports injuries can and often do still occur. What often starts out as a little niggle can develop into an overuse-type injury due to the repetitive stress of pushing and sustaining your body in a state of maximal exertion.
If you are suffering from sports injuries or want to find out what you can do to prevent them from occurring, call the practice now on (08) 61508785 Scarborough or (08) 61508783 Mount Pleasant to arrange an appointment.
Overuse injuries occur when repeated action over time causes damage to some of the body’s structures (as opposed to an acute injury, which may be spontaneous, such as rolling an ankle). Often you only begin to notice an overuse injury slowly over time. It may not even start out as painful- perhaps it is just a click in the knee or hip.
Typically, you may be able to notice that perhaps you are overdoing it by four stages of overuse injuries:
- Discomfort that disappears as you warm up
- Discomfort that disappears as you warm up but then returns right towards the end of your activity as you fatigue
- Discomfort that worsens during activity
- Pain or discomfort all the time
Treatment will depend on which stage you are at but preventative health is always the best medicine! By addressing imbalances and training correctly early, you can prevent yourself from suffering overuse type injuries in the first place.
So what exactly is it that causes overuse injuries? There is often a range of factors involved. These include:
- Lack of muscle strength
- Lack of muscle endurance
- Lack of core stability
- Lack of flexibility
- Muscle imbalances
- Poor technique
- Incorrect or ill-fitting equipment
- Joint degeneration
But remember, the main factor in overuse injuries is most commonly “too much, too soon.” Make sure you build your training program incrementally and don’t overdo it too early. The Trigenics neuromuscular techniques used by Dr Adam Rocchi, Chiropractor, can help correct the muscle imbalances allowing you to push your system sooner.
To prevent an overuse injury, follow these tips:
- Warm-up adequately (including active stretching before and passive stretching after)
- Don’t increase at a rate of more than 10% each week (whether that be distance, repetitions or weights)
- Work on general conditioning for at least 2-3 weeks beforehand
- Make sure your equipment is properly fitted and the correct size
- Listen to your body- don’t push through when you get niggles. Identify the real cause of the problem and address immediately. We can help you with functional movement screening to assess imbalances before they become a problem….
- Ensure full and proper injury rehabilitation in order to prevent re-injury or secondary damage. Spine Scans approach can assist with this
If you suffer an overuse injury, worried about a little niggle that has only recently come on, or just want to ensure that you have proper technique so to minimise your risk of developing an overuse injury in the future, call the practice now on (08) 61508785 Scarborough or (08) 61508783 Mount Pleasant to arrange an appointment and come see us soon.
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