Time Out – Injury 101

Muscle pain or strains putting a cramp in your style?

ME TOO!

Muscle injuries and sore muscles are a real pain in the neck!

I cringe and hesitate to admit this but the older I get the more aches and pains I have. For instance, last week I woke up, stepped out of bed and I was met with foot pain and tenderness!  Yall, all I did was wake up, put my feet on the floor and walk to the bathroom.  I was under the impression that this sort of obscure torment was for more mature audiences?

I never expected that my mid forties (not yet my prime)  would have me reaching for the Blue-Emu cream morning, noon and night.  What’s with all of the random odd quirky pains and distress signals all of a sudden?  One day it’s an elbow and the next day it’s a wrist or shoulder tweak.  Anybody else feeling this?

As an active FITness professional, I’m prepared for (guranteed) the occasional sore muscles stemming from regular exercise…but?! But lately I think some of my muscle pangs are more about “older age-ness” setting in from past abuse fun.  I took advantage of my younger self.  I took for granted that my skin and bones would always spring into action on cue.

Now, my biomechanics are playing nasty tricks on my musculoskeletal functions.

At age forty-five, there is no more high kicking, sprinting or the doing the splits on demand.  My days of taking it way down low on the dance floor coupled with head twirling are NOT happening without major blow back days later.  OUCH! A little innocent shimmy shake on the dance floor now causes muscular casualties. I must place blame on my progressive dance moves. (Smh)

Active adults and young athletes alike are at risk for sore muscles and injuries.  One of the best ways to avoid muscle strains and sprains is the all imperative pre and post warm-up!  A warm up ensures that the body is ready to tackle a workout, golf swing, bike ride, ski trip, water sport, bump and grind dancing or agility movement by getting the blood pumping to the extremities.

Here are a few of my favorite basic pre-work out movements.  These are not bullet proof contractual exercises but they will help loosen the body.

prisoner  squats – sit back into a squat then stand pressing all the way up on toes stretching into the calves.

shoulder and arm circles

calf raises

kick butt/ job in place/ high knees

push ups

jumping Jacks or criss cross jumps

So then what?

For any active athlete, teenager or adult, even moderate muscle or joint pain is a bummer because it puts a kink into normal life.  While this may hurt your feelings and or your pride… what you do next can determine how well you will bounce back.  REST is usually the best medicine.

Adequately treating muscle strains and joint pain is imperative for healthy mending. Unfortunately many people are doing it wrong and postponing the healing process.

Muscles injuries are crazy painful and if left untreated can incite further damage leading to chronic pain.

A large amount of muscular and joint injuries can be addressed at home with proper protocol.  But it’s here where people make grave mistakes.

Most customary mistakes are made is continuing to use a muscle after trauma has ensued.   The second colossal mistake is applying heat to the area of injury.  Heat can stimulate inflammation.  The goal is to reduce the onset of inflammation and shrink swelling. When all else fails, remember the RICE method.  (REST, ICE, COMPRESS, ELEVATE)  Applying ICE immediately following any type of strain or sprain (injury) is fundamentally a good practice.

Taking an oral all natural or anti-inflammatory to reduce swelling and pain is also a recommended. Please note that muscle relaxers and other prescription pain medications only cause a false sense of security and mask pain.  This can be dangerous.  Pain meds only dull or numb the pain.  Working out or continued use under the influence of pain medication or muscle relaxers is a one way street to supplementary issues.

What NOT to do when you have a muscle injury may surprise you.

Do not take a dip in a hot tub, sauna, jacuzzi or a warm bath. Many people fall prey to this false notion which is huge NO NO.  No hot baths after a muscle tear or pulled anything because this will only cause more uncomfortable pain and swelling.

Another defective treatment for a strain or sprain is a deep tissue massage.  A massage can cause more trauma and prevent proper healing.  While getting refreshed blood to the muscle/ fascia is the goal, there are better strategies. MAT, aka, muscular activation technique is incredible if the therapist knows the business.  Airrosti is a form of muscular manipulation that works wonders.  I highly recommend Airrosti therapy These two medical procedures stretch and straighten the fascia tissue while circulating blood flow into the tendons.  All of this is to rejuvenate and supply the muscles for healing.

Cryo therapy is a frigid 3 minute therapy used to help refresh blood supply to the extremities and right into an area of injury. I have experienced much success with this technique. Not only does cryo help restore muscles but aids in weight loss and increases energy. And who doesn’t have 3 minutes?

Don’t push past the pain on a muscle injury. Foam rolling is ONLY a good thing if a medical exam and doctor diagnosis has affirmed it’s a recommended form of physical therapy.

Practice RICE

Rest

Ice

Compress

Elevate

Physical Therapy

Cryo therapy- Coppell Cryo or Glo Sun Spa have a cryo chamber

Use Glucosamine Cream

Hydrate

Foam roll – if recommended

Reduce chances of injury

Warm up!  Do not skirt a 3-5 minute warm up.  (particularly if you are over the age of 30 years old) I advise a brisk walk, jog or powerwalk on the treadmill, elliptical or spin bike.  Briskly walk before jogging to warm the meniscus.

Stretch!  Upon waking, it’s not a bad idea to stretch the arms, neck, and waist.  I’m also a fan of post-workout stretching after a cardio session or a weight training workout. Stretching the hamstrings, hips and lower back are instrumental in vetting muscle pain.

Soaking salts!  Taking a warm soak in Dr. Teal’s epsom salts is restful and therapeutic.  However a epsom soak only works for muscle tenderness and sore muscles…not strained or sprained injuries.

Blue-Emu Cream!  Using deep penetrating Blue-Emu glucosamine cream for joint and muscle pain is a simple economical preventative. I know the benefits of this specially cream and use it as an aid for diminishing bruising, swelling, and aching muscles.

Form is everything.  When operating with heavy weight for exercise take precaution to safeguard your form.  An accredited FITness instructor or certified personal trainer and or an accountability coach is highly recommended.  This is a teacher and second pair of eyes to pay attention watch for errors and to correct and enhance form.  Otherwise it’s necessary to school yourself on the proper way to operate the movement. Bending, stooping and lifting the wrong way can rip and tear muscles into silly string creating major pain and a long road to healing.

I have always been a stickler for phenomenal form and for several righteous reasons.  For starters, personal injury.  No one has time to sit out and be down due to a form fault in the gym.  Secondly, why waste my time or the time of my client by doing exercises wrong?  Using precise form births an effective result.  I don’t like to waste time in the gym or in life.  A healthy body is the ultimate goal.  A body with physically FIT muscles working in conjunction with healthy joints, ligaments and tendons is the goal.

Each of the 12 workouts in my training program have modifications for challenging movements.  I would love to be your personal trainer and help redefine your health and body.

 

Love, lift and be FIT

Rest, RICE and when in doubt start with ICE!

Angi