Greenville Business Magazine 2009 August Issue : Page 15››columns Weekend Warriors, Beware of Monday Morning… BY STEVEN B. SINGLETON, M.D. FACS, VILLAGE ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY necessary time off. Icing can help reduce inflammation, and biking (or other exercises that aren’t weight bearing) is one option for staying fit while you recover. If you can walk without pain, you may be fine within a few weeks. But if you’re used to a four-mile run, cut your distance and walk – listen to your body! Rotator cuff injury Though a baseball pitcher hurling a fastball most often comes to mind, rotator cuff injuries frequently hit in middle age through normal activities. Stressing the shoulder over the years with exercise or regular activities can eventually lead to injury of the tendons in the front or back of the shoulder. Simple cable exercises are especially effective in strengthening the rotator cuff and, in some cases, arthroscopic reconstruction may be required. Tennis elbow This painful condition – the result of strained or inflamed tendons on the outside of the elbow – can result from bad form (hitting late) or faulty equipment (wrong grip size, string tension), or even non-tennis-related activities. It is best treated with physical therapy. Anti-inflammatory medication, ultrasound treatments and stretching exercises can all help alleviate symptoms. Knee pain Causes can be simple (poor running form or uneven wear W ››columns Weekend Warriors, Beware of Monday Morning… BY STEVEN B. SINGLETON, M.D. FACS, VILLAGE ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY necessary time off. Icing can help mns Weekend Warriors, Beware of Monday Morning… BY STEVEN B. SINGLETON, M.D. FACS, VILLAGE ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY necessary time off. Icing can help reduce inflammation, and biking (or other exercises that aren’t weight bearing) is one option for staying fit while you recover. If you can walk without pain, you may be fine within a few weeks. But if you’re used to a four-mile run, cut your distance and walk – listen to your body! Rotator cuff injury Though a baseball pitcher hurling a fastball most often comes to mind, rotator cuff injuries frequently hit in middle age through normal activities. Stressing the shoulder over the years with exercise or regular activities can eventually lead to injury of the tendons in the front or back of the shoulder. Simple cable exercises are especially effective in strengthening the rotator cuff and, in some cases, arthroscopic reconstruction may be required. Tennis elbow This painful condition – the result of strained or inflamed tendons on the outside of the elbow – can result from bad form (hitting late) or faulty equipment (wrong grip size, string tension), or even non-tennis-related activities. It is best treated with physical therapy. Anti-inflammatory medication, ultrasound treatments and stretching exercises can all help alleviate symptoms. Knee pain Causes can be simple (poor running form or uneven wear W behind behind a desk or staring at a computer than train- ing, your body may not be up to the challenge. Start low and go slow. A “too much, too fast” mindset can land you in your doctor’s office with any number of common sports injuries. Below are the seven sports injuries that most commonly plague the weekend athlete. Sprained ankle Landing improperly – whether you’ve stepped on an uneven playing surface or changed directions quickly – occurs in almost every sport, and the result is often ankle pain. Luckily, you can get back on your feet quickly in most cases. A typical ankle sprain can be treated very easily depending on severity – everything from simple icing and elevation to anti- inflammatory medication. An exam will determine the extent of the injury, at which time the physician can discuss treatment options. Sprains can take up to three months to heal, depend- ing on how severe they are. Shin splints Technically known as periostitis, shin splints are pain felt in the front of the lower leg. Make sure that if you’re having pain, you back off right away. It only gets worse until you take the on your running shoes) or more complex (weak quadriceps/ muscle imbalance). Runners often get overdeveloped, tight outer thigh muscles, while their inner thigh muscles get weak. This can pull the patella toward the stronger muscles, creating a “track- ing problem” and inflammation around the patella. Treatment options include loosening tight thigh muscles with massage or gliding the muscle over foam rollers (found at most gyms) and strengthening weak areas with wide-stance squats (toes at a 45-degree angle). Golf elbow While tennis elbow occurs on the outside of the elbow, this equally painful condition is felt on the inside of the elbow and is often caused by hitting the ground with your club or picking up too much divot. Treatment options are similar to those for tennis elbow, and recovery time can vary. If you’ve had it for two or three months, it may take the same amount of time of physical therapy for it to heal.Healing times vary from person to person, but when broken bones are involved, the treatment and rehabili- tation process can last for a full year. Whether you’re a pro or a weekend warrior, your most formidable opponent is age. Proper conditioning, warming up and, most of all, common sense, will go a long way toward how you feel on Monday morning. ■ For more information, visit www.villageatpelham.com. AUGUST 2009 | GREENVILLE MAGAZINE 15 >>columns - Weekend Warriors, Beware of Monday Morning…Steven B. Singleton, M.D.Watching favorite professional athletes inspires millions of weekend warriors to get up off the couch and exercise. But, if you spend more time behind a desk or staring at a computer than training, your body may not be up to the challenge. Publication List |
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