Don't Overdo It!
While it it admirable that many exercisers stick with their fitness routines, too much of a good thing can backfire. By doing the same thing over and over without introducing any variety, excisers risk developing overuse injury. Those who don't vary their routines and allow themselves adequate time to rest run the risk of developing tendonitis, bursitis, and fasciitis. Many exercisers who develop these inflammatory conditions overlook the associated nagging aches and pains because they are afraid of changing routines that have thus far worked so well for them. The problem is that continuing to do what they have always done may land them on the sidelines. The way to prevent tis most undesirable outcome is to engage in cross-training.
If you do begin to experiance unresolving pain at a joint or tendon, early modification of the activity and immediate/consistant use of iceas an antiflamatory can help minimizethe overall severity of the problem. if symptoms continue, consult your physician and ask to follow up with a physical therapist for more extensive treatment.
Pain In The Kneecap
The Quadriceps muscles of the thighs act as shock absorbers for the knee joints. If they are not sufficiently strong to absorb the forces placed on them, the knees can suffer. Patellofemoral pain, which occurs at the junction of the kneecap (patella) and the thighbone (femur), is the one the most common problems in sports medicine, affecting dedicated athletes and beginners alike., as well as older adults suffering from osteoarthritis, The pain is usually the result of overuse, patellar tendonitis, friction where the kneecap meets the thighbone groove, or the patellofemoral arthritis. Fortuantly, more than 90% of patients with patellofemoral pain improve without surgery. A workout plan that focuses on strengthing the quadriceps is particularly important. As well as strenghting to both the core and hip musculature. Most commonly found is the significant weakness of the gluteus medius muscle which is a hip stablizer and prevents the knee from falling into a poor alignment pattern during weight bearing activities.
Helping Runners Avoid Stress Fractures
Stress fractures are the bane of runners because these overuse injuries require them to take four to six weeks off. The good news is that Iowa State University researchers have found that, by shortening their strides by ten percent, runners can reduce the damage to their tibias (inner shin bones), which is where mony of their stress fractures appear. So, runners intrested in reducing their reducing their risk of tibial stress fractures are urged to do what they can to shorten their stridese without making it uncomftorable for them to run. Additionally, researchers from the University of Minnesota report that runners with strong calf muscles are less prone to shin problems. This makes a good arguement for runners to perform calf-strengthening exercises.
If stress fractures are interferring with your running program, contact Blaser Physical Therapy and schedule a comprehensive running assessment, including a slow motion video taped analysis of your running pattern. Go to our website www.blaserphysicaltherapy.com and click on the Running link for more information about our program.
