Are you experiencing persistent pain or discomfort after your favorite activities? You might be dealing with an overuse injury. These injuries, often called “under-recovery” injuries, develop gradually from repetitive stress on muscles, tendons, bones, or joints without adequate recovery time. Unlike sudden injuries, overuse injuries creep up, impacting your performance and quality of life. Sports Medicine Specialist Naomi Albertson at Sierra Neurosurgery Group explains this topic, so you can stay active and injury free.
What Exactly is an Overuse Injury?
Imagine your body as a finely tuned machine. When you push it too hard, too often, without giving it time to rest and repair, problems can happen. This repetitive stress, whether from excessive motion (“overloading dysfunction”), poor movement patterns, inadequate equipment, or simply not enough rest, leads to overuse injuries.
How Do Muscles and Tendons Work (and When Do They Overwork)?
Our muscles contract, pulling on tendons that connect to our bones, enabling movement. When you repeat the same motion excessively, your muscles tire, placing increased strain on your tendons and bones. This can lead to tendon inflammation (tendonitis), tendon tears, or even stress fractures in bones. It’s the combination of repetitive motion and lack of muscle strength that often results in injury.
Common Overuse Injuries to Be Aware Of:
- Stress Fractures: Especially in the foot (metatarsals), shin (tibia), and thigh (femur).
- Tendonitis: Including shin pain (posterior tibialis tendonitis), elbow pain (tennis or golfer’s elbow), shoulder pain (rotator cuff tendonitis), hip pain (gluteus medius tendonitis), heel pain (Achilles tendonitis), and knee pain (patellofemoral syndrome).
Preventing Overuse Injuries: Your Action Plan
Prevention is key! Here’s how to protect yourself:
- Master Proper Technique: Learn the correct movements before increasing intensity.
- Strengthen Supporting Muscles: Build the muscle strength needed for your activity.
- Use Quality Equipment: Ensure your gear fits and supports your body.
- Prioritize Recovery: Allow ample time for rest, proper nutrition, and hydration.
- Seek Expert Guidance: If you are an athlete, work with a coach who understands proper form and biomechanics. For example, a running coach needs to know how to evaluate gait, recognize an abnormal gait and know what muscles to strengthen to help an athlete improve their gait. A swim coach needs to understand the mechanics of each of the four strokes, how to identify poor mechanics and what muscles to strengthen to prevent injury. For all sports, this means that you must learn the basics and build strength BEFORE increasing speed or agility. Use a gradual progression of activity and cross-train with multiple other types of exercise, and strength-train to support normal mechanics.
What If You Don’t Have a Coach?
Don’t worry! You can still take proactive steps:
- Utilize online resources and AI tools to learn proper form. For runners, this may mean that you need to understand your own feet, what shoes are best for you and what strengthening exercises you should do to minimize overuse injuries.
- Consult with experienced professionals who can “test” your athletic performance to assess your mobility, strength, and symmetry to create a personalized strength program.
- Testing can give you quantifiable data about your performance and help you track improvements over time. A specialist can design a plan for you to minimize injuries and maximize performance.
- By planning, being careful about equipment, strengthening muscles that are weak, improving mobility, and adding in recovery – you will significantly lower your risk of injury.
- Overuse Injury Signs: When to Seek Help
Overuse injuries develop over weeks or months. Pay attention to:
- Discomfort or stiffness after activity.
- Pain during activity.
- Lingering pain after activity.
- Constant pain that impedes activity.
Ignoring these signs can lead to chronic pain and prolonged recovery.
The Importance of Recovery: Rest, Nutrition, and Hydration
Recovery is paramount. Remember, it’s an “under-recovery” injury.
- Rest/Sleep: Aim for 8-10 hours of quality sleep to facilitate tissue repair and hormone regulation.
- Nutrition: Replenish glucose stores (glycogen) with food and consume adequate protein for muscle synthesis.
- Hydration: Drink plenty of water to maintain plasma volume for nutrient circulation and body cooling. If you are dehydrated, recovery will be compromised.
Take Control of Your Sports Health with a Sports Medicine Specialist
Don’t let overuse injuries sideline you. If you’re experiencing persistent pain, joint pain, or want to prevent future injuries, Sports Medicine Specialist Naomi Albertson at Sierra Neurosurgery Group can help. With her expertise, you can develop a personalized plan to optimize your performance and recovery. To schedule a consultation and take the first step towards a healthier, more active life. Call (775) 323-2080.