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KEEP SUMMER CAREFREE BY PREVENTING SPORTS INJURIES
Know when to back off So how will you know if you overdo it? “Persistent or significant pain may be a sign to modify or adjust your exercise,” she cautions. “And injury can vary by type of activity or sport.” She says activities that involve a lot of running and jumping may result in knee issues, like tendinitis, jumper’s knee or IT band syndrome. Activities or even occupations that involve overhead motions, repetitive hand and elbowmotions, or throwing may result in shoulder and elbow issues, such as rotator cuff problems and tennis elbow. Endurance activities, such as running, especially among those with risk factors, can lead to shin splints or stress fractures. Younger patients are at risk for injuries that could affect their bone growth plates, including apophysitis, an inf lammation or stress injury to the areas on or around growth plates in children and adolescents. Seek a doctor’s advice Dr. Alzarka says it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor or a sports medicine physician before starting any new exercise regimen. “If you have chronic health conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure, or if you are overweight or not currently exercising, you may want to speak with a physician before starting an exercise program.” She also recommends seeing a sports medicine specialist to assess a sports-related issue or injury if you are experiencing persistent pain with an activity, pain that is worsening or continuing after you
It’s been said that sitting is the new smoking, that one of the worst things we can do for our overall health and wellbeing is to live a sedentary lifestyle. Physical inactivity is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and even death. However, about one in four Americans sit for more than 8 hours a day. Fortunately, summer is a great time to get outdoors and get moving. But do so wisely, counsels Memorial Hermann Medical Group Katy sports medicine specialist Noor Alzarka, MD, who is board-certified in sports medicine and regularly evaluates and treats patients for both acute and overuse-related sports injuries and pain. “Overuse injuries can affect anyone, regardless of age or athletic ability,” says Dr. Alzarka. “If you rapidly increase your training intensity or volume, try to do too much too quickly, perform repetitive motions, overtrain without rest days or use improper training technique, you put yourself at risk of injury.” Start smart Dr. Alzarka says you can guard against overuse injuries by pacing yourself, gradually increasing your exercise frequency, volume and intensity over time. She also suggests cross training by including a variety of activities in your exercise program, working on strength and conditioning, using proper formand using correct sports gear. “Awalking program is a relatively safe and easy option, especially when first starting to exercise,” she says. “Lower impact activities may be easier at first.”
complete an activity or sport, weakness, joint instability, swelling or s ymptoms t hat a re interfering with your ability to remain active. “A spor t s med ic i ne doctor usually has extra training and may be board-certif ied in the e v a l u a t i o n a n d m a n a g e m e n t o f
Noor Alzarka, MD Sports Medicine Specialist
musculoskeletal issues and sports-related injuries and care,” she says. “He or she will listen to you, ask the right questions to understand the nature of your spor t s-related injur y, per form a thorough musculoskeletal exam, order or review imaging (like X-rays or MRI) and explain your diagnosis. Then he or she will partner with you to design a personalized treatment plan to help you recover from your injury while remaining active and achieving your health goals. Your plan might include self-directed rehab exercises or a referral for supervised physical therapy, to ensure a safe return to your sport or activity.” Dr. Alzarka reminds us that physical activity is just one component of a healthy lifestyle, which also includes eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, allowing time for rest and recovery, getting good quality sleep and staying hydrated, especially with exercise. “I also recommend scheduling a regular checkup with a physician for recommended preventive care and screening,” she says.
Don’t let the fear of injury prevent you from adopting a more healthful, active lifestyle. To find a qualified family doctor or sports medicine specialist, visit memorialhermann.org/mhmg
Advancing health. Personalizing care.
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KATY EDITION • APRIL 2022
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