Just like your car, the muscles and bones in
your body can get worn out from overuse. Here’s a few ways that
you can still perform some of your favorite activities—while
minimizing pain.
The human body is a finely tuned machine.
More than 200 joints work together, connecting your more
than 200 bones, allowing you to walk around the block, give your
child a hug, and dance to your favorite tune. But just like a
car’s pistons and gears, your tendons, muscles, and bones
sustain wear and tear from repeated use. Overuse injuries
usually occur over time. Pain, numbness, and having trouble
doing the activity that caused the problem—whether it’s running,
tennis, or typing —are red flags.
Shin Splints Shouldn’t Ruin Your Workout
Pain in your shins during and after
just like
your car, the muscles and bones in your body can get worn out
from overuse. here’s a few ways that you can still perform some
of your favorite activities—while minimizing pain. exercise,
known as shin splints, is a common overuse injury. Runners are
often victims. But doing any activity that involves your
feet continually hitting the ground—even walking or dancing—can
put you at risk. Several factors can increase the risk of shin
splints. These include:
• Trying to do too much, too quickly
• Flat feet
• Exercising on hard surfaces
• Wearing old or insufficiently padded shoes
• Not stretching or warming up enough If you
think you have shin splints, stop or cut back on the activity
that’s causing harm. To relieve pain, try icing your shin or
taking anti-inflammatory medications.
You can resume your old routine once the
activity no longer causes pain. But build up gradually and be
diligent about warming up and stretching. In addition, stick to
softer surfaces and make sure your shoes are well-padded.
If these self-care measures don’t help and
the pain persists, make an appointment with your doctor.
Take Steps to Prevent Stress Fractures
If your shin splints don’t respond to
treatment—or if you develop pain in your foot when you
exercise—you might have a stress fracture. These tiny bone
cracks develop when tired muscles transfer their stress to
bones. They most often occur below the knees. Treatment
includes six to eight weeks of rest from the activity that
caused the cracks. To prevent these painful breaks:
• Never increase the amount of physical
activity you do by more than 10 percent each week. This applies
to the number of miles you walk or run, how much time you spend
exercising, or how much weight you lift.
• Cross-train. If you’re a walker or runner,
incorporate biking and swimming into your routine. Add some
strength and flexibility exercises for the optimal balance.
• Eat a healthy diet. Include a lot of
calcium and vitamin D for strong bones.
• Replace your running or walking shoes if
they’re worn.
Finding Relief from ‘BlackBerry Thumb’
Too much texting on the tiny keys of a personal digital
assistant (PDA) can leave your thumbs and hands sore, swollen,
or numb. Thumbs, the least dexterous of our digits, are not
designed for the fast, repetitive, and limited range of
movements needed in typing. These strategies can help you
avoid pain:
• To reduce stress, type with the PDA on a
pillow or other support in your lap to keep wrists more upright.
• Make messages brief and take frequent
breaks.
• Use other fingers to type.
• Stretch your hands periodically.
Repetitive stress injuries like this can aggravate underlying
arthritis, especially in middle-aged or older adults. See your
doctor if pain doesn’t subside.
