Run Fat Boy Run
Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
“If you’re over 40, it’s
safest to have a general
health screen. If not,
start with low impact
activities. Include
three components into
your exercise:
stretching activities,
cardiovascular or
aerobic activities,
resistance or strength
training activities,”
said
Dr Lim Lian Arn,
Orthopaedic Surgeon,
Raffles Hospital.
You are a successful and
driven executive who
packs in 12 hours a day
in the office, five days
a week. Lately, you have
decided to take on a
healthier lifestyle,
dumping the junk food in
your office cubicle and
eschewing fried chicken
for noodle soup at
lunch.
Fueling your desire to
be more active, you are
inspired to blaze the
stadium tracks one
Sunday morning. The last
time you ran was during
the fitness test at your incamp training a few
years ago. You vaguely
remembered that running
2.4km was simply a walk
in the park. As you
sprinted off at the
start, you decided you
could easily do a 10km
run. After all, there is
nothing a determined
motivated professional
like you cannot do.
Shortly after hitting
the 5km mark, you start
to gasp for air. Your
right knee feels wobbly
and a sudden sharp pain
there forced you to
stop. You have found out
too late that you have
the same problem facing
many others, known
collectively as the
weekend warriors.
Weekend warriors is a
term used to describe
busy executives who
spend long hours at work
and count surfing the
web or TV channels as
their ‘regular’
exercise. Once the
weekend comes, they are
transformed into
sporting athlete
wannabes. Bearing the
same mindset that they
have at work, weekend
warriors go all out when
they take to the fields
or pound the running
routes. Such sudden high
intensity exercises by a
less-than-fit person
will only trigger a
string of injuries.
Return
to Top
Causes of Sports
Injuries
The most common causes
of sports injuries for
those who do
recreational exercise is
muscle strain due to
over-exertion. For all
sports, stretching and
warming up is a must. It
is essential as this
brings blood and oxygen
to the working muscles
and reduces the chances
of injuries during the
exercise.
Here is a list of some
of the most common
causes of sports
injuries and reasons why
we may become injured:
Sports like soccer,
squash, and badminton
involve sudden stopping
and twisting, causing
sprains and strains in
which ligaments or
tendons and muscles, can
be strained, torn or
partially torn. Contact
sports like rugby and Muay Thai may result in
direct blows or falls,
which may in turn, cause
fractures.
It is nice to be togged
in the latest fashion
wear but when it comes
to practicality, not all
sports shoes are created
equal. Wearing the
appropriate type of
shoes will provide the
most suitable support
for your feet in a
particular sport. Wrong
technique in lifting
weight or having an
incorrect swing for golf
can result in sprains
due to the wrong
posture.
Return
to Top
Prevention of Sports
Injuries
If you already have some
joint problems, it is
best to start off with
low impact exercises
first to avoid
aggravating the current
problems or having
further injuries. Dr Lim
recommends exercises
like walking and
swimming, as they being
low impact, have the
lowest risks of injury.
Return
to Top
Causes of Overuse Injury
A wrong technique in a
sport or over-exercising
can easily lead to
overuse injury. Likewise, a faulty grip
on a racquet or use of
weights that are too
heavy can easily go
unnoticed until pain is
felt.
|
►
|
|
|
► |
|
|
► |
|
|
► |
|
Inappropriate use of
equipment
|
|
|
►
|
|
In training, build up is
too much, too fast
|
|
|
► |
|
Starting exercise too
intensely and increasing build-up too fast
|
|
|
► |
|
Return
to Top
Symptoms Related to
Overuse
When overused, knee
joints become sore and
tender and there is a
regular pain or ache at
the same spot during or
after the exercise. This
is also known as the
runner’s knee. People
who run excessively may
develop ligament, tendon
or cartilage problems in
and around the knee. This is even more likely
if they run with poor
equipment (shoes) or
poor posture (foot and
lower limb
misalignment).
Dr Lim added, “If a
runner has pain in the
knee, there may be
problems with the
meniscus, the articular
cartilage, the tendons
or less likely, the
ligaments. In general,
don’t ignore the pain. Pain is your body
warning you something is
wrong. Continuing to run
may cause a small tear
to become a larger tear
and may cause secondary
problems”.
Other symptoms include
strains and sprains and
there will also be torn
or partially torn
tendons, muscles and
ligaments which will
swell and feel painful
and stiff.
Return
to Top
Recovery
Ice should be applied at
four hourly intervals
for the first twenty
four hours and rested. If the injured limb can
be elevated above heart
level, this and the ice
will remove fluid from
the injury and reduce
swelling.
Return
to Top
Top 10 Most Commonly
Injured Areas
|
Achilles Tendon
|
Stretched or
torn tendon
connecting the
calf muscle to
the heel. |
|
Ankle
|
Ankle sprain;
the lateral
ankle ligaments
are damaged. |
|
Back |
Ligament, tendon
or disc damage. |
|
Calf Strain |
A stretch or
tear of the calf
muscle(s). |
|
Elbow |
Overuse injuries
such as tennis
or golfer’s
elbow. |
|
Fingers
|
Stretched
ligaments or
dislocation from
the hand and
fingers. |
|
Hamstring
|
A stretch or
tear of the
muscle(s) at the
back of the leg. |
|
Knee |
Ligament tears
or meniscal
injuries. |
|
Shoulder
|
A stretch or
tear in the
muscles used in
throwing and
injuries to the
rotator cuff. |
|
Shin
|
Contusions
(bruises) of the
shin, and shin
splints, a
stretch or tear
of the shin
muscle(s) |
Return
to Top
Other Sports Injuries
Prevention Tips Include:
Prevent overuse:
If you have not been
exercising for a long
time, it is best to
start slow and gradual
to build up your stamina
first. For instance, if
you are going for a run,
try a shorter distance
and work the mileage up.
Protective equipment:
Braces and supports can
help prevent recurring
sports injuries.
Stretch before
sports: Do
light stretching before
starting to ease the
tensions in your
muscles. This helps to
reduce the wear and tear
of the joints.
Warm up exercises:
Warm up exercises play a
vital role in preventing
sports injuries. Warming
up and stretching
properly will prevent
injury.
Return
to Top
Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Dated: May 2011
|
Raffles
Medical
Group is
a leading
medical
group and
the largest
private
group
practice in
Singapore.
As a fully
integrated
healthcare
organisation,
the Group
owns and
operates a
network of
family
medicine
clinics, a
tertiary
care private
hospital,
insurance
services and
a consumer
healthcare
division.
Patients of
the Group
enjoy a
continuum of
care, from
having their
most basic
healthcare
needs met
through the
Group’s
islandwide
network of
Raffles
Medical
clinics, to
specialist
and tertiary
care at
Raffles
Hospital. |
Back to
Table of Contents