Muscle and Connective Tissue Health
Repetitive Stress and Work-Related Injuries
 See
our full line of Pain Relief products
 Muscles
and other tissues that support joints weaken when they are not moved enough,
causing joints to lose shape and function. Damage occurs on a cellular
level every time you exercise (or use your muscles at work), as muscle
tears down in order to rebuild.
Along with exercise come aches and pains that may have been induced or
aggravated from a previous condition or injury. Building activity into
your life is always important, but particularly so if you have arthritis.
All categories of exercise (aerobic, strength or flexibility) are beneficial
for pain and inflammation sufferers.
Common work injuries include spine disorder, particularly in the heavy
machinery industries, and cumulative trauma from repetitive motions which
causes carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis. The incidence of cumulative
trauma continues to increase as computer usage grows.
A well-balanced exercise program consists of strength, endurance and
cardiovascular activity.
The dilemma that all healthcare professionals face when treating people is
the obvious fact that pain inhibits movement and movement is required for training
and working; however, most pain relievers inhibit healing and prolong rehabilitation.
The keys to successful therapy are relief of pain and inflammation without inhibited
healing.
Aging causes the connective tissues to lose their flexibility. This is due
in part to decreased stability of the cell membranes and collagen fibers. This
loss of flexibility contributes towards the risk of injury during exercise and
other forms of intense activity. Most sports injuries are caused by either accidents
or overuse.
To prevent injuries,
focus on strengthening the supporting
structures of your body.
Injury and age-related decline is generally associated with connective tissue
structures such as the ligaments, tendons, and other joint structures. Muscle
tissue itself is not affected as often as is thought.
The connective tissues lose flexibility with age due to:
- Decreased production of fluid maintaining long-chain glycosaminoglycan structures
- Decreased stability of cell membrane and extracellular collagen fibers
- Decreased production of glycosaminoglycan structures also results in decreased
size of muscle groups.
Connective Tissue Damage
Connective tissue protects and reinforces the muscle fibers from stress
and trauma. The protective sheaths receive all the transference of force
that occurs during muscle use, and therefore the bulk of the stress associated
with athletic activity may result in injuries.
Increase Your Training Capacity
Always warm up and stretch before physical activity. Cold, stiff muscles are
more prone to injury. Warm up with jumping jacks, stationary cycling or by running
or walking in place for three to five minutes. Then slowly and gently stretch,
holding each stretch for 30 seconds. Similarly, always cool down following activity.
Work up to intensity. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of physical
activity. As your fitness level improves, you will be able to work out
with more intensity without risking injury. Whenever possible, use the
“10 percent” rule. When upping your activity level, increase
it by no more than 10 percent per week. Use the 10 percent rule as your
guide for aerobic training as well as for strength training.
Don't be a "weekend warrior". Trying to fit all your physical
activity into two days sets you up for trouble and does not increase your
fitness level. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity
every day. If you can’t fit this in, break it up into ten-minute
sessions of activity. Remember that “moderate” physical activity
includes things like walking the dog, working in the garden, and taking
the stairs instead of the elevator.
Take lessons and invest in good equipment. Even if you have been playing
a sport for a long time, lessons or coaching are a worthwhile investment.
Proper form and technique reduce the chance of developing an "overuse"
injury like tendonitis or stress fractures as well as a pull or strain.
Select the proper shoes for your particular sport and use them only for
that sport. Replace them as needed.
Listen to your body. As you grow older, you may find that you are not as flexible
as you were, or that physical activities that once seemed pleasurable are now
causing you pain. While no one likes to admit that they are growing older, you
will be able to prevent injury by toning down your activity to accommodate your
body's needs.
Develop a balanced fitness program. Incorporating cardiovascular exercise,
strength training and flexibility will keep you from getting bored and
lessen your chance of injury. You will also benefit from the balanced
nature of this program.
Don’t ignore aches and pains. If you feel pain in a body part as
a result of activity, rest or reduce your activity for a few days. This
will help you avoid more serious problems.
Sustained a injury? The following tips will help your body repair itself in
as short a time as possible.
Rest up! It’s tough to rest when you’re an athlete but you
will heal better if you do. If possible, keep up your activities through cross-training.
Resume regular activity gradually. Start out slowly, remembering to reduce your
“normal” duration/intensity of activity. (If you run, go for a shorter
distance; if you lift weights, do fewer reps with a lighter weight.) Stop immediately
if you feel any pain.
Eat to Heal! Take note of your nutritional status. It is especially
important to eat high quality protein to help repair the tissues. You
may want to consider a vitamin-mineral supplement as well, especially
if you are unsure if your diet includes what nutrients you may need.
How Common Are Sports & Work Related Injuries?
Sports related injuries involving 42% of children and young adults are
the leading cause of unintentional injury. Injuries sustained during athletic
pursuits account for 23 percent of all traumas, second only to motor vehicle
injuries, and are the leading cause of death in children. Among adults,
the exact figures for these types of injuries are not known.
Work-related injury is a major public health problem with back pain as
one of the most common causes of disability. The most common forms of
back pain are:
- Mechanical back pain (e.g., lumbosacral sprain, lumbar facet syndrome)
-- dull aching pain caused by an injury which radiates to buttocks,
knees or groin.
- Radicular (root) pain -- caused by herniated or ruptured disc. Pain
is localized in the back but travels down the legs to the foot.
- Post surgical pain -- generally a combination of mechanical and radicular
pain.
|
Friendly
