Moderate Exercise Can Prevent Overuse Injuries

Regular physical activity is important for weight management, disease prevention and overall health. Too much exercise or improper form, however, can cause overuse injuries.

Common Types of Overuse Injuries

An overuse injury occurs when bones, muscles, ligaments or tendons are frequently stressed and not rested. Although there are many types of overuse injuries, some are quite common.

Shin splints

Shin splints is an overuse injury in the tibia, the large bone in the lower leg. It is often caused by tight calf muscles that pull on the shins during physical activity or walking. You can prevent shin splints by doing adequate calf stretching and wearing proper footwear.

Plantar fasciitis

The plantar fascia joins the toes to the heel bone and provides support to the foot arch. Similar to shin splints, plantar fasciitis develops from tight calf muscles. Weakness in the knees, hips or ankles can also cause plantar fasciitis, as well as limited mobility of the big toe. This can cause inflammation and pain in the heel area. The best way to prevent this condition is to wear shoes that allow you to fully extend your big toe at the joint.

Shoulder impingement

If you have pain when you lift overhead, you may have shoulder impingement. This is an overuse injury in the rotator cuff, and it results from doing repetitive overhead movements when the shoulders are rotated forward. You can prevent shoulder impingement by strengthening the shoulder blade muscles.

Visit an orthopedist to treat overuse injuries.

If you are experiencing pain, stiffness or tenderness in your bones, joints or muscles, it is time to call an orthopedist. Your doctor can advise you on whether your injury is caused by overuse or improper exercise techniques. You may be able to make modifications to your daily activities to bring healing and restore full mobility.

In some cases, you may need an orthopedic procedure to get relief from your symptoms. An ambulatory surgery center (ASC) offers many outpatient orthopedic procedures in a comfortable setting at a reduced cost. Procedures at ASCs are almost always less expensive than hospitals, and they usually have easy parking, less waiting time and a lower patient-to-nurse ratio.

Are you looking for an orthopedist near you? Our orthopedic centers are located across the country and our physicians are available to take new patients. Don’t wait to get relief from your pain. Call today to make an appointment.