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Stay in the game - preventing sports injuries

Vegetarian Times, May, 2000 by Cristin Marandino

How to keep sports injuries from putting you on the bench

Not too long ago, while involved in a fairly intense tennis match, I lunged to return my opponent's well-placed shot and, well, let's just say the lunge went farther than it should have. My hamstring was pulled to a point hamstrings aren't designed to reach, and the result was a pain so searing that a sharp poke with a hot andiron would have felt better. If you've ever pulled, sprained or torn a muscle, tendon, joint or ligament, you know the pain of which I speak. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be this way. Many sports injuries can be prevented. In fact, a little time and effort is all it takes to keep you in the proverbial game.

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Great Feats

While no one would dream of going rock climbing without a harness or skydiving without a parachute, there are a lot of exercisers who give little consideration to what they put on their feet. The wrong sneakers won't lead to a life-or-death situation, but they can contribute to common injuries, such as stress fractures, shin splints and tendinitis. Stephen Rice, M.D., director of sports medicine at the Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, N.J., explains that sneakers are meant to help transfer weight from the back of the foot to the front as you walk or run. They also provide support and control, which help absorb the shock from running, jumping and aerobics.

But as any trip to an athletic store will prove, buying sneakers can be an overwhelming process. Stephen Pribut, D.P.M., a podiatrist specializing in sports medicine in Washington, D.C., says the model of shoe you should buy depends on a variety of factors: which activities you engage in (tennis vs. running or aerobics), the type of arch you have (low vs. high), whether or not you put most of your weight on the inner edge of your sole (pronation) and if you've had any injuries. This is why it's important to go to a store that boasts a trained and knowledgeable staff who can help you choose an appropriate shoe.

There is, however, one rule everybody can follow when buying sneakers and it relates to size. "Make sure there is about a finger's width at the front of the shoe to help prevent runner's [black] toe," says Pribut. And while it may sound obvious, once you've got the right footwear, be sure to tie them properly. "Too tight a shoe may make parts of the top of your foot sore," says Pribut. "Too loose a shoe may not provide enough support and let your foot move excessively, increasing the risk of injury." Finally, it's important to note that although your shoes (and their treads) may still look good after months of wear, they lose their effectiveness over time and should be replaced every 300 to 500 miles--or about every eight to 10 months for those performing moderate activity.

Running Hot &, Cold

Now that your feet are taken care of, you need to wake up your muscles before engaging in any intense cardio or weight-bearing activity. "Suddenly subjecting a muscle that's not warmed up to intense physical activity is like bending a piece of plastic when it's cold--it's more likely to snap than if it has been warmed up," says Rice. Your warm-up should start with a few minutes of light jogging or calisthenics. "This gets the blood circulating into the muscles and raises your body temperature above normal. But if you start to break a sweat," he adds, "you're beginning to go beyond what you need to do."

After five minutes or so of warming up, move on to stretching, which will be easier and more effective now that your muscles are warm and malleable. Two things to remember: one, stretching should never be painful. Two, you should never bounce, since that sends a signal to the muscle that it's being stretched too rapidly, which in turn causes the muscle to contract--the exact opposite of what you're trying to accomplish. Holding the stretch for 10 seconds is enough to prepare for a workout; if you also want to improve flexibility, extend each stretch to 30 seconds.

And don't forget to spend another 15 minutes stretching and cooling down at the end of your workout to prevent muscles from tightening up. That's because cooling down keeps your blood flowing a while longer, says Rice, which is necessary for removing waste products, such as lactic acid that can cause muscle tightness. Stretching also keeps muscles warm and forces the fibers to hold an elongated position so they're less likely to cramp after the fact.

No Pain, No Gain--No Way!

Fortunately, the days of pushing yourself until you're ready to collapse are over. So forget competing with the triathlete on the next treadmill who's running at seven miles per hour on a 10 percent incline or the body-builder bench pressing 150 pounds. The only thing you'll get from going beyond your limits is pain, and possibly injury. Pain is your body's way of saying that you've gone too far. That's not to say you can't push yourself a little. "Your body will be happy to make small increases on a weekly basis," says Rice. "But if you suddenly boost the quantity or intensity, your body is going to get mad and you'll get hurt." He recommends increasing activity by 10 percent every few weeks until you reach your goal. For example, if you're used to running for 45 minutes, extend that time by about five minutes a week. Or if you lift 50 pounds, increase by 5-pound increments.

Stay in the game - preventing sports injuries

Vegetarian Times, May, 2000 by Cristin Marandino

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