You exercise to stay healthy and work hard to keep a roof over your head. Sometimes, these activities put you in harm’s way. Managing fitness, sports and work-related injuries helps you move past injury and get back to life.
“I think almost everyone will experience pain related to work, fitness or sports at some point in life,” saysDr. Mariam Ashraf, board-certified anesthesiologist specializing inpain managementat Ƶ. “These injuries can decrease functional capacity, mobility and quality of life.”
What Causes Fitness,Sportsand Work-Related Injuries
Fitness,sportsand work-related injuries come in all shapes and sizes. They also have many causes, including:
- Overexertion.Lifting,pushingor pulling heavy items at work or increasing the length or intensity of your workouts too quickly can put excess stress on your body.
- Repetition.Performing repetitive movements can strain or stress specific body parts. Common overuse injuries include tennis elbow, shin splints,and stress fractures.
- Sitting.Being sedentary at work for hours at a time can weaken the body.
- Technique.On the court, in the gym and at work, poor form puts your body at unnecessary risk.
Treating Work and Fitness Injuries
Managing a minor fitness, sports or work-related injury often starts with over-the-counter pain medicine and RICE.
- Rest the injured limb.
- Ice the hurting area for 20-minute increments, four to eight times daily.
- Compress the injured area.
- Elevate the injured joint or limb above heart level.
Together, these may help relieve pain and swelling. However, you may need expert help.
“Physical therapyisthe gold standard for treating acute pain brought on by work,fitnessor sports-related injuries,” Dr. Ashraf says.
Along with physical therapy, you maybenefitfrom other conservative treatments for overexertion,overuseor other injuries. Options include:
- Acupuncture.A trained provider inserts thin needles into the skin. This improves circulation, relaxesmusclesand releases endorphins, chemicals that make you feel good.
- Bracing.Whether used on your back, knee or other body part, a brace prevents movement. This helps reduce pain. Just use it properly and fora short period, as long-term use can lead to muscle weakness.
- Prescriptions.Depending on the type of pain or other symptoms you experience, you maybenefitfrom prescription-strength pain pills, musclerelaxersor other medications.
When pain and other symptoms persist, you may need more aggressive interventional approaches, such as injections orsurgery.
Prevention Is Still the Best Medicine
Beforedz’rleft managing fitness,sportsor work-related injuries, you can take steps to help prevent them.
- Pace yourself.Build your strength over time. As you do, start with repetition, then take on other, more strenuous tasks.
- Stretch.“I think of stretching as part of daily hygiene,” Dr. Ashraf says. “We need to stretch to prevent muscle soreness and injury and pain that results from our activities and the wear and tear of daily life.”
- Take frequent breaks.Preventing overuse injuries and other pains and strains may require you to take a break. Whether you sit at a desk or have your arms overhead for extended periods throughout the day, take regular breaks. You should also rotate exercises and implement cross-training into your routine to give your muscles time to recover.
Fast Facts: How to Be Proactive About Injuries
If you experience fitness,sportsor work-related injuries, managing the problem leads to reduced pain, improvedfunctionand quality of life.
- Pushing yourself too hard too fast, performing a repetitive task or using poor technique may result in workplace and fitness injuries.
- At-home treatment often brings relief and healing. Physical therapy can help as well. If necessary, your care team may recommend more aggressive treatment, such as surgery.
- You can exercise and work safely and effectively by taking regular breaks, stretching everydayand gradually increasing the stress you put on your body.
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