Haims: Don’t go from zero to 100 this spring
Spring officially sprang this past weekend. While many may be despondent that ski mountains are closing, others may be quite excited. Now that warmer weather is on the horizon, summer recreational activities abound. Unfortunately, this is also the time of year that medical offices see an increase in many injuries like sprains, strains and tendon/ligament boo-boos.
Without question, for most people, seasonality affects physical activity. Although this is understandable, it should also be understandable that it would be a poor decision to increase one’s level of activity from mild to high without doing some groundwork.
If you have not been regularly active this winter, when starting to work out this spring, don’t go from zero to 100. Instead, start slowly and build a routine based on more physical activity. Start with low-impact and gradually increasing workouts to figure out your body’s limitations.
Whether a workout/physical activity is intended for muscle growth, cardio improvement, or general wellbeing and improved performance, an important concept to be aware of is progressive loading.
Progressive loading, in the context of exercise, performance advancement, and rehabilitation, refers to the gradual increase of load or resistance during an exercise or rehabilitation program. Physical therapists promote progressive loading because it is fundamental for not just rehabilitation and improved healing but also improving strength and muscle development over time and gradually.
Support Local Journalism
Physical therapists promote progressive loading to ensure clients make steady improvements in strength, endurance and overall function while minimizing the risk of injury. By gradually increasing the intensity of exercises, they challenge the body in a controlled manner, prompting it to adapt and become stronger while preventing plateaus and injury.
Here in our mountain towns, some of the outdoor springtime activities that tend to result in the most muscular injuries include hiking, biking, running, tennis, pickleball, golf and baseball.
Some common muscular injuries for hikers and runners include strains and sprains in the ankles, knees, hamstrings, quadriceps, calf muscles, shins and Achilles tendon. Such strains can cause pain, swelling and limited range of motion, especially when trying to move the affected area.
For sports like tennis, pickleball, baseball and golf, common muscular and ligament injuries often occur because of overuse, quick lateral movements, and twists/pivots. Tennis elbow, a rotator cuff injury, shoulder impingement, and knee injuries are all possible due to the required movements of these sports.
Common muscular injuries for cyclists include knee pain, back pain, and wrist/hand pain due to overuse and improper bike fit. Other common issues include Achilles tendonitis, neck pain, and calf muscle strains.
While speaking with Brady Baker from AXIS Sports Medicine in Avon, I learned that their offices spend a considerable amount of time during this time of the season helping people with ailments that could have been avoided. Specifically, he believes people need to understand that many summer sports use different muscle groups than those often used for winter sports like skiing or snowshoeing. These sports are more linear in movement, while summer sports often require lateral/side-to-side and twisting movements that may be more explosive.
Because many summer sports require different muscle groups, Brady suggests that people don’t just jump into their planned recreation. Rather, he suggests people start slowly progressing their training at least six weeks ahead (that’s about right now for most people). He suggests that people should give thought to what muscles groups may need to prepare for their specific activity.
For example, for walking, hiking and running, people may want to work on balance, core, hip, glute, ankle and pelvic muscle groups. For cycling, he suggests strengthening the muscles that hold you in the lightning bolt position while in the saddle, particularly your core, back and neck muscles. For golfers, training should focus on key muscle groups to improve swing mechanics, power and stability. These include the glutes, core, back, legs and upper body. Specifically, strengthening the glutes, quads, hamstrings and core is crucial for a powerful and balanced swing.
Over the next few weeks, I will share more specific recommendations from various physical therapists about what we can do to prepare our body for the recreational activities we are passionate about.
Judson Haims is the owner of Visiting Angels Home Care in Eagle County. He is an advocate for our elderly and is available to answer questions. Connect with him at jhaims@visitingangels.com.
