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Preventing & Treating Exercise Injuries
Any health care practitioner will tell you that regular exercise is an important part of staying fit. Even as little as walking ten minutes a day can help prevent heart disease, cancer, obesity, and many other serious illnesses. But knowing how to exercise is also important. Preventing injuries, maximizing benefits and learning what works for you can help ensure that you get the most out of your activities. Start your research today and find out how to avoid and treat these common exercise injuries:
Athlete's Foot
Keeping the feet dry is very important for preventing and fighting athlete's foot. After showering or bathing, thorough drying or careful use of a hair dryer is recommended. Light is also an enemy of fungi. People with athlete's foot should change socks daily to decrease contact with the fungus and should wear sandals occasionally to get sunlight exposure. Read more...
Backache
Regular exercise and proper lifting techniques help prevent lower back problems from developing. Proper lifting involves keeping an object close to the body and avoiding bending forwarding, reaching, and twisting while lifting. Low back pain and disc degeneration are both more likely to develop among sedentary people than those who are physically active. However, long-term participation in some competitive sports may contribute to spinal disc degeneration. Read more...
Strains & Sprains
Conventional treatment of minor sprains and strains includes resting the affected area, applying cold packs or ice, wrapping the area with a compression bandage, and keeping the affected area elevated as much as possible. Spinal manipulation is used by chiropractors, licensed naturopathic doctors, and some osteopathic doctors to relieve pain and improve healing of sprains and strains. One preliminary trial tested a combination of chiropractic manipulation, muscle stretching, and special exercises known as "proprioceptive neurofacilitation" to people who had sprain/strain neck injuries that had not resolved with other treatment. Treatment was reported to help the majority of people, and over one-third reported that their symptoms were completely gone or only mildly bothersome. Read more...
Bruising
Bruising after traumatic injury is a normal body response. It is only when bruising occurs often and from very minor (often-unnoticed) trauma that a problem may exist. The conventional treatment is to manage any underlying medical condition, such as liver or kidney disease, blood disorders, connective tissue disorders, or the use of blood-thinning medication. Dietary changes, like eating more fruits and vegetables, will supplement vitamin C and flavonoid intake and may prevent excessive bruising. Read more...
Tendinitis
Many people suffer from tendinitis as a result of their work environment. Studies have shown that tendinitis of the wrist, hands, and fingers is often caused by repetitive work and physical stress. Physical changes to the work environment, such as setting up the work station so that the body is in a balanced, untwisted position, minimizing the need to use excessive force, avoiding overuse of any one joint, changing positions frequently, and allowing for rest periods, have all been shown to diminish symptoms of lower arm tendinitis. One study of computer workers with arm and wrist tendinitis found that using an ergonomic keyboard versus a standard keyboard reduced the severity of pain and improved hand function after six months of use. Read more...
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