Summer in the great city of Chicago!

Contributed by Mike George

Summer in the great city of Chicago! Today’s adult athletes fall into one of two categories: there’s the gym enthusiast who rushes out of the office at 5:15 for a grueling two-hour workout and the weekend warrior, who spends dawn to dusk every Saturday and Sunday running or biking along the lake. Both have two things in common: their drive and passion for the physical exercise and the inevitable risk of injury that comes with doing what they love.

First, we need to define and understand the term “weekend warrior”. This is the athlete who participates in little or no exercise during the week, then on the weekend partakes in vigorous activity, for which the individual has not trained properly.

Often, we don’t take the time to physically prepare ourselves for these endeavors, thus resulting in strains, sprains, low back pain, and numerous other injuries. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission approximately one million adults sustain sports related injuries each year. Here are some questions I hear quite often…

Q: Is the saying “no pain, no gain” your best measurement of a good workout?

A: False. If you are experiencing pain during a specific exercise or activity it is essential to stop and evaluate what motion is being performed incorrectly. This can lead to one of the most common injuries, a strain. A strain is an acute trauma to the muscle tissue or the tissue that make up the tendon that connects the muscle to the bone. This may lead to excessive swelling to the area, decreased range of motion, and decreased function.

We need to remember that the body sends out three signals for us: the first is discomfort, and then pain, the last is the resulting injury. Physiologically our body can only increase in muscle strength 4% per week, to push beyond this intensity is setting you up for failure.

Q: Does practice make perfect?

A: False. Vince Lombardi states it best, “PERFECT practice makes perfect”. Incorrect mechanics repeated over and over can lead to poor posture such as rounded shoulders. This can result in instability of the shoulder and lead to injury.

Q: Heavy sweating during activity can lead to injury.

A: True. While losing fluid during exercise, dehydration is always a concern, especially in the humid summer months. A general rule of thumb is if you experience thirst during activity, your body is already dehydrated. Keep ample amounts of fluid with you before, during, and after activity.

In conclusion, prevention of injury is the best medicine. If you do get injured, rehabilitation services can get you back with minimal interruption to your training.