You know what it’s like, after the excesses of Christmas and the New Year, you kick off January with a determination to get fit and lose weight.
But, by around this point in the month, many doctors and orthopaedic surgeons are seeing the effects of people overdoing their January workouts. Because by diving headlong into a fitness regime and pushing yourself to achieve your goals you risk causing overuse injuries. These can take a long time to heal which is why we always recommend taking things at a steady pace and building up gradually.
Here are some common overuse injuries, their symptoms and what you can do to prevent them next time:
Achilles tendinitis
Achilles tendinitis affects the tendon that connects the calf muscle at the back of the lower leg to your heel bone. This causes a mild ache above the heel which may become more severe after running or going up and downstairs. The affected area may also feel stiff. Achilles tendinitis is caused by straining the Achilles tendon by repetitive activity and is particularly common in people who suddenly increase the intensity of their training programme or who exercise in intense bursts over the weekend, putting their bones and soft tissues under stress. It occurs most frequently in men and particularly after middle age. High blood pressure increases your risk of Achilles tendinitis.
Prevention: Warm up thoroughly, particularly in cold weather and wear proper fitting running shoes.
Shin splints
Shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, is a pain along the inside of your shin bone at the front of your lower leg. You may also notice swelling and tenderness in the lower leg. This type of injury often occurs in sportsmen and women who suddenly increase or change their training regime. Most cases can be treated at home by resting the leg, using ice to reduce swelling and taking painkillers to relieve pain. It is important not to ignore shin splints because continuing to exercise with the condition may lead to a stress fracture.
Prevention: Build up the duration, frequency of intensity of your exercise programme gradually. Avoid running for extended periods of time on hard surfaces such as concrete. Talk to your GP if you have flat feet or high arches as you may be particularly susceptible.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome
Also called runner’s knee, patellofemoral pain syndrome is a dull aching pain at the front of and around the kneecap. It is made worse by kneeling or squatting, going up or downstairs and sitting with the knees bent for a long time. It is an overuse injury linked to sports that involve repeated jumping. A sudden increase in the intensity of training can put the knee joint under particular stress and this type of injury can also be due to weakness or imbalances in the muscles around the knee and hip. Dislocating or fracturing the kneecap or having surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament can increase the risks of patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Prevention: Maintaining a healthy body weight can reduce stress on the knees. Warm up thoroughly before running or jumping exercises and do gentle stretches to improve flexibility. Developing strong leg and hip muscles helps to support the knee properly.
Iliotibial band syndrome
Iliotibial band syndrome is pain on the outer part of the knee. The iliotibial band runs from the outside of your hips to the outside of your thigh and knee. If it is too tight it can lead to pain and swelling around the knee. Iliotibial band syndrome is caused by sports that involve repeatedly bending the knee, such as running, cycling, rowing, basketball and long-distance walking. Poor technique and pushing yourself too hard can cause the condition, as can certain physical conditions such as knee arthritis or rotating your foot or ankle inwards when you walk/run.
Prevention: Rest between workouts. Stop when you are tired. Always begin your workout with stretches and a warm-up and cool down thoroughly afterwards. Wear the right footwear.
Stress fracture
Stress fractures are tiny cracks in the bone caused by repetitive force – for example, repeatedly jumping or long-distance running. This type of fracture typically occurs in the weight-bearing bones of the foot and lower leg, being less common around the hip, and is particularly common in activities like running, dance, gymnastics and tennis. It causes pain and swelling which lessens during rest but gradually increases over time. Stress fractures are often due to suddenly increasing the amount or intensity of training. Bones naturally adapt to being subjected to increased loads but if this happens too quickly the bones don’t have time to recover and adapt and this can lead to stress fractures.
Prevention: Make any changes to your workout gradually – aim to increase your exercise by no more than 10% a week. Adding low-impact activities can help build strength without stressing the bones. Make sure you are getting sufficient nutrients, particularly vitamin D and calcium.
If you are concerned about an overuse injury or would like information on diagnosis, treatment or prevention, contact us for more information.
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