Exercise is Medicine by ACSM

March 2, 2018 // Archive

Date based archive
02 Mar

BLOG 153 COMMON INJURY AREAS

Our bodies are machines that are amazingly designed to be resilient and durable. However, certain parts seem to have expiration dates despite our life capacity. As a trainer, the 3 most common injuries I work with are knee, back, and shoulder. Most of you reading this can probably attest to one of these areas if not now, at some point, one or more have given you troubles. For most, the areas are chronic and we just have to keep pushing through on this journey despite them.

Knee injuries typically result from wear and tear, overuse, or from an actual injury. Repetitive movements can cause breakdown. Your knees are being used daily and practically all day, everyday despite sedentary increments. I have actually torn both my ACL and meniscus in college playing basketball. Did you know that the knee is the largest joint in the body?? Below are common acute and severe knee problems:
• Sprains, strains, or other injuries to the ligaments and tendons that connect and support the kneecap.
• A tear in the rubbery cushions of the knee joint (meniscus).
• Ligament tears, such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is the most commonly injured ligament of the knee.
• Breaks (fracture) of the kneecap, lower portion of the femur, or upper part of the tibia or fibula. Knee fractures are most commonly caused by abnormal force, such as a falling on the knee, a severe twisting motion, severe force that bends the knee, or when the knee forcefully hits an object.
• Kneecap dislocation
• Pieces of bone or tissue (loose bodies) from a fracture or dislocation that may get caught in the joint and interfere with movement.
(https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/knee-problems-and-injuries-topic-overview#1)

Back problems are another common injury that most suffer from at one point or another in their life. Low back pain is very common. Back aches may be caused by sports, work environment, or just everyday tasks. Some injuries that may occur can involve discs, the spine (vertebrae), the tailbone (coccyx), and then the muscles that hold the spine together. This would involve the low back because the core is not strong. Little known fact that your core includes your back. Twisting, bending, lifting…. the back can take the blow when done wrong. Sitting and poor posture can accumulate to injury. (https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/tc/back-problems-and-injuries-topic-overview#1)
Then there are the shoulders. Realistically, every time you move your arm, you move your shoulder. Common injuries would include sprains (injury to the ligaments), strains (pulled muscle), nerve damage, separation from the collarbone, torn rotator cuff, fractures to the bones, frozen shoulder, overuse, and inflammation. My shoulders seem to get fatigued so fast during exercise. Sometimes I can feel the over use from years of shooting basketballs. (https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/tc/shoulder-problems-and-injuries-topic-overview#2)

At Every BODY’s Fit, the show must go on!!!! There is a modification and accommodation for each exercise. The Fitness Journey doesn’t stop. Believe you can still do it, and you CAN.