Sep
4
Written by:
Tom Kalka
9/4/2005
There are many common injuries that CFC clients ask about. We thought it might help to provide some information about how to treat the pain yourself. However, be advised, no doctor was consulted on these treatments and self diagnosis isn’t always the best way to deal with pain. Below are the most common injuries we encounter and some suggestions on how to prevent and treat them.
Plantar Fasciitis
What is it: This is an inflammation of the plantar fascia (a fleshly material under your foot that runs the length of your foot from the heal to the ball) usually near the heal or arch. This hurts the most in the morning when you first put your foot on the floor. In severe cases it can continue to hurt all day but in most cases it goes away once you move around a little.
Causes: Flat feet, over use (long distance runners), or new exercisers who aren’t use to working out. Also, improper shoes, such as shoes with no arch support or arches that are to high. Another cause is being overweight or pregnant, or anything else that may cause the arch to fall or be put in an unnatural position.
Treatment: Doctors might prescribe an anti-inflammatory drug like Ibuprofen. Stretching the arch will help as well and to do this you would modify the standing calf stretch just by having your toe on the wall (rather than your entire foot), pressing the ball of your foot towards the ground. In severe cases, a doctor must be consulted and you will probably need orthotics or possibly a cortisone shot. Shedding excess weight will also help.
Shin Splints
What is it: An inflammation of the Anterior Tibilas (the muscle in your shins). In severe cases, shin splints can lead to a stress facture.
Causes: There are three main causes of shin splints:
· Being overweight. Excess pounds will cause a greater amount of force on your lower extremities, especially during impacting exercises.
· Running or walking on hard surfaces. Cement, concrete and tar are extremely hard surfaces and unfortunately the Outdoor Conditioning Program is stuck using these surfaces most of the time. The more you can stay off these surfaces the better. Running on grass or dirt trails or even rubberized tracks is much better for you.
· Shoes. Running shoes are designed to absorb the impact of running. Women over 150 lbs. and men over 180 lbs. are considered heavy runners and should buy shoes accordingly. Shoes are only good for about 3-4 months. The heavier you are, the more miles you put on your shoes, and the harder the surfaces you are running on will determine how quickly you need to change your shoes. If you are experiening pain in your shins, new shoes are generally the quickest way to fixing the problem, most of the time.
Treatments: Following the guidelines above are the best ways to avoid shin splints. If you do start to feel pain in your shins, icing is going to be the best way to treat the pain before it gets too bad. To do this, fill a Dixie or Styrofoam cup with water and freeze it. Peel about ½ inch away at the top and rub the exposed ice on your shin until it is gone (15-20 minutes). Do this 2-3 times a day for 1-2 weeks. You CAN continue to run while using this method if the pain isn’t too bad. Also, stretch your shins by sitting on the floor with your legs and feet in front of you. Have a partner stretch you by pointing your toes toward the ground and then flexing them back toward your body.
Runners Knee
What is it: There is a groove in your knee that you knee cap is supposed to slide smoothly in. When it doesn’t stay in that groove, pain is felt around the knee cap. The pain is most evident when you sit for long periods of time or walk up or down stairs.
Causes: A muscular imbalance in the quadriceps muscles (front of the leg). There are four major muscles in the quads and for some reason (and there are many reasons that can cause this), one muscle is weaker than the others. This causes the knee cap to slide improperly.
Treatments: depending on the severity of the case, a doctor should probably be consulted. There are a lot of things that can cause knee pain and none of them should be taken lightly. However, many times, a simple exercise can cure or prevent knee pain. While doing a squat, on the first set, turn your toes inside but be sure to keep your knee over your toes. This strengthens the outside quad muscles. On the next set, turn your toe to the outside; this will strengthen the inside of the quads. On the final set, keep your toes straight ahead; this strengthens all the muscles equally. If you do this for about two weeks every other day, your knee pain might eventually go away.
Lower Back Pain
Causes: Pain in the lower back can be caused by many different things; usually it is because of a lack of core body strength. New clients usually experience the most back pain because of the stress on the back when CFC instructors are training clients with new exercises. The body (back) is being put in a position that it isn’t used to being put in, and weakness in the back (or core body) can cause pain. CFC trainers most often hear clients reports back pain when they are performing Squats and Leg Raises.
Treatments: Usually, if the client just continues to do the exercise over a period of a week or two, the core body will get stronger and the pain will disappear on its own. However, do not push through back pain. Listen to your body. Ask your trainer how to modify the exercise if you are experiencing pain and they will adjust the range of motion which usually decreases the intensity of the pain, while still working your muscles.