We live in such a fast paced world that we rarely take time for ourselves. What is even worse when we do take time for ourselves we feel guilty about it! We shouldn't feel guilty about taking time out, there are people around the world at this very second who are taking time for them self and enjoying their time. When you don't take time for yourself this type of a lifestyle can build up and store stress and anxiety in the body which over time can lead to illness. Even worse, we teach our children to deal with stress in the same manner we are dealing with stress. Relaxation and meditation rids the body of accumulated stress (both mental and physical) while strengthening the entire mind-body system to work more efficiently. Taking up regular forms of relaxation and meditation can promote not only improved health but also greater clarity, energy, mental awareness, confidence and creativity and fulfillment in life.
Meditation is strongly espoused in many eastern philosophies, people of any religion can practice meditation and derive considerable health benefits from it. With commitment, perseverance and regular practice, meditation can produce life-changing positive effects. By creating time and space to honor our basic need for stillness, we can transform our mental state, emotions, physical well-being and subsequent experience of life.
The stress of internal ‘mental chatting’ is deeply entrenched in our existence. Tragically, we have forgotten the simple pleasure of releasing our worries and finding the underlying thread of peace in each moment. That is not to say that we should ignore stressors and negative influences in our lives. However, mentally agonizing over our problems is counter-productive to health and well-being. Meditation can very effectively halt the vicious cycle of obsessive worry.
Still feeling cynical? Science, the very epitome of cynicism, is even acknowledging the benefits of regular meditation. Meditation has been found to balance our brains’ alpha and theta waves, thus enhancing the synergy of our creative and logical cognitive faculties. Meditators exhibit superior pain resistance to electric currents administered to the skin. Research also indicates that meditation can enhance sleep quality, mood, memory, blood pressure, mental alertness, migraines and headaches, posture and stress tolerance.
Try this exercise with your family. Find a space in your home free of distractions and clutter. Sit on the floor in a comfortable position. Instruct everyone to close their eyes and concentrate on breathing. Inhale deeply through the nose, and exhale through your mouth. Think of your favorite place to visit, maybe a park, the ocean, or beach. Imagine how you would feel if you were there right now. Allow each family member to sit peacefully as long as they can.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Top 10 Fitness Myths Exposed!
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has concluded that more than a third of Americans are overweight, and 30 % don't exercise at all! So being a personal trainer for over 20 years here are the top 10 Fitness Myths Exposed.
1. Lack of time.
If it is important to you you will do it. Do you eat dinner everyday? Brush your teeth? Watch tv? It only takes 60 minutes per day, don't have 60 minutes at one time, break it down into increments that you can manage.
2. Can't afford a gym.
Walk, ride a bike, jump rope, join our weekly family fitness challenges. No equipment is needed and you can get an unbelievable workout right at home.
3. "I'm too old."
I have heard this one many times, even from some of my own family members. Stop worrying about age and get your body moving! Every little bit will help your body and mind. Try tai chi, yoga, pilates, rent a DVD. Join the local YMCA.
4. No Pain, No Gain.
Yes, as a Fitness Instructor teaching Hi/Low Aerobics back in the 90's this was our mantra. But believe me, I now teach yoga, pilates, aquatics regularly and this saying couldn't be farther from the truth! So suffering isn't required, aim to push yourself to fatigue not pain.
5. You Must Break a Sweat.
How much or little you sweat does not correlate with how many calories you are expending. Just get out there and move your body!
6. You Must Stretch Before You Exercise.
For the past 20 years this has been a hot topic at every conference I have attended. As an instructor our goal was to warm our clients for 5-10 minutes before any type of class and 5-7 minutes post stretching too. So here is my scoop, the reason why we should stretch is to warm up our muscles before you we use them, it helps with blood flow and oxygen to the working muscles. If you don't want to do 30 minutes of stretching prior to walking, just jog in place, do knee lifts, and swing arms in circles, bend over and touch toes, think about the parts of your body and do little movements that will copy the big movements you are about to do! Be creative!
7.Crunches Melt Away Belly Fat.
Truth is you can not spot reduce! Ab work is great, but ab work will not reduce the fat around your midsection, cardio and diet will do that. But it is important to do ab work because it will help strengthen and protect your back, improve your posture and increase overall muscle mass, which when you have more muscle into fat in your body you will burn more calories even at a resting heart rate.
8. Women using Weights Will Get Bulky.
Not unless you are on steroids. The truth is that most weightlifting women won't end up wit big bulky man like muscles because we simply have less testosterone. Any kind of strength training will help improve bone density, increase muscle mass and decrease body fat in men and women.
9. Dieting is Enough.
No its not!You must combine regular activity with consuming lean proteins, healthy fats, limited starches and no added sugars.
10. Exercise is Hard.
Then you haven't found the right exercise for you. Don't think push-ups think walk in the park, or yoga, experiment with new types of sporting activities! Fencing, kick a soccer ball with your kids, this type of activity is fun.
1. Lack of time.
If it is important to you you will do it. Do you eat dinner everyday? Brush your teeth? Watch tv? It only takes 60 minutes per day, don't have 60 minutes at one time, break it down into increments that you can manage.
2. Can't afford a gym.
Walk, ride a bike, jump rope, join our weekly family fitness challenges. No equipment is needed and you can get an unbelievable workout right at home.
3. "I'm too old."
I have heard this one many times, even from some of my own family members. Stop worrying about age and get your body moving! Every little bit will help your body and mind. Try tai chi, yoga, pilates, rent a DVD. Join the local YMCA.
4. No Pain, No Gain.
Yes, as a Fitness Instructor teaching Hi/Low Aerobics back in the 90's this was our mantra. But believe me, I now teach yoga, pilates, aquatics regularly and this saying couldn't be farther from the truth! So suffering isn't required, aim to push yourself to fatigue not pain.
5. You Must Break a Sweat.
How much or little you sweat does not correlate with how many calories you are expending. Just get out there and move your body!
6. You Must Stretch Before You Exercise.
For the past 20 years this has been a hot topic at every conference I have attended. As an instructor our goal was to warm our clients for 5-10 minutes before any type of class and 5-7 minutes post stretching too. So here is my scoop, the reason why we should stretch is to warm up our muscles before you we use them, it helps with blood flow and oxygen to the working muscles. If you don't want to do 30 minutes of stretching prior to walking, just jog in place, do knee lifts, and swing arms in circles, bend over and touch toes, think about the parts of your body and do little movements that will copy the big movements you are about to do! Be creative!
7.Crunches Melt Away Belly Fat.
Truth is you can not spot reduce! Ab work is great, but ab work will not reduce the fat around your midsection, cardio and diet will do that. But it is important to do ab work because it will help strengthen and protect your back, improve your posture and increase overall muscle mass, which when you have more muscle into fat in your body you will burn more calories even at a resting heart rate.
8. Women using Weights Will Get Bulky.
Not unless you are on steroids. The truth is that most weightlifting women won't end up wit big bulky man like muscles because we simply have less testosterone. Any kind of strength training will help improve bone density, increase muscle mass and decrease body fat in men and women.
9. Dieting is Enough.
No its not!You must combine regular activity with consuming lean proteins, healthy fats, limited starches and no added sugars.
10. Exercise is Hard.
Then you haven't found the right exercise for you. Don't think push-ups think walk in the park, or yoga, experiment with new types of sporting activities! Fencing, kick a soccer ball with your kids, this type of activity is fun.
Overcome Obstacles
Given the health benefits of regular physical activity, we might have to ask why two out of three (60%) Americans are not active at recommended levels.
Many technological advances and conveniences that have made our lives easier and less active, many personal variables, including physiological, behavioral, and psychological factors, may affect our plans to become more physically active. In fact, the 10 most common reasons adults cite for not adopting more physically active lifestyles are (Sallis and Hovell, 1990; Sallis et al., 1992)
- Do not have enough time to exercise
- Find it inconvenient to exercise
- Lack self-motivation
- Do not find exercise enjoyable
- Find exercise boring
- Lack confidence in their ability to be physically active (low self-efficacy)
- Fear being injured or have been injured recently
- Lack self-management skills, such as the ability to set personal goals, monitor progress, or reward progress toward such goals
- Lack encouragement, support, or companionship from family and friends, and
- Do not have parks, sidewalks, bicycle trails, or safe and pleasant walking paths convenient to their homes or offices.
Understanding common barriers to physical activity and creating strategies to overcome them may help you make physical activity part of your daily life.
| Suggestions for Overcoming Physical Activity Barriers | |
| Lack of time | Identify available time slots. Monitor your daily activities for one week. Identify at least three 30-minute time slots you could use for physical activity. |
| Add physical activity to your daily routine. For example, walk or ride your bike to work or shopping, organize school activities around physical activity, walk the dog, exercise while you watch TV, park farther away from your destination, etc. | |
| Select activities requiring minimal time, such as walking, jogging, or stairclimbing. | |
| Social influence | Explain your interest in physical activity to friends and family. Ask them to support your efforts. |
| Invite friends and family members to exercise with you. Plan social activities involving exercise. | |
| Develop new friendships with physically active people. Join a health club or a hiking club. | |
| Lack of energy | Schedule physical activity for times in the day or week when you feel energetic. |
| Convince yourself that if you give it a chance, physical activity will increase your energy level; then, try it. | |
| Lack of motivation | Plan ahead. Make physical activity a regular part of your daily or weekly schedule and write it on your calendar. |
| Invite a friend to exercise with you on a regular basis and write it on both your calendars. | |
| Join an exercise group or class. | |
| Fear of injury | Learn how to warm up and cool down to prevent injury. |
| Learn how to exercise appropriately considering your age, fitness level, skill level, and health status. | |
| Choose activities involving minimum risk. | |
| Lack of skill | Select activities requiring no new skills, such as walking, climbing stairs, or jogging. |
| Take a class to develop new skills. | |
| Lack of resources | Select activities that require minimal facilities or equipment, such as walking, jogging, jumping rope, or boot camp. |
| Identify inexpensive, convenient resources available in your community (community education programs, park and recreation programs, worksite programs, etc.). | |
| Weather conditions | Develop a set of regular activities that are always available regardless of weather (indoor cycling, aerobic dance, indoor swimming, calisthenics, stair climbing, rope skipping, mall walking, dancing, gymnasium games, etc.) |
| Travel | Put a jump rope in your suitcase and jump rope. |
| Walk the halls and climb the stairs in hotels. | |
| Stay in places with swimming pools or exercise facilities. | |
| Ask if the hotel has an agreement with a local health club to use their facitilies. | |
| Visit the local shopping mall and walk for half an hour or more. | |
| Bring your music. | |
| Family obligations | Trade babysitting time with a friend, neighbor, or family member who also has small children. |
| Exercise with the kids-go for a walk together, play tag or other running games, get an aerobic dance or exercise tape for kids (there are several on the market) and exercise together. You can spend time together and still get your exercise. | |
What negative thoughts do you have that could hinder a healthier lifestyle?
How can you change or challenge these negative thoughts?
List your personal reasons to exercise.
What can you do on days in which you have a hard time sticking with your exercise program?
It is important even on your “down” days to keep some forward momentum, so write list of the exercises you can do even when you don’t feel like exercising. Keep a list of what you will do if the weather is bad outside and you can’t go for a run, what is your backup plan?
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
My interview on Fox News
I was so excited to be interviewed by Fox News Health. check it out!
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/03/29/7-fun-activities-to-get-your-kids-excited-to-exercise/
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/03/29/7-fun-activities-to-get-your-kids-excited-to-exercise/
Monday, April 1, 2013
My Latest Book!
When you think of exercises what comes to mind? Push-ups? Jumping jacks? Sit-ups? Do these types of exercises leave you wanting more, or do they make you laugh, and do your kids like to do that type of exercise? I’m guessing they don’t and I think I know kids pretty well, I have taught over 75,000 kids fitness and I know what motivates kids to be physically active…fun! I have taught kids fitness in camps, clubs, schools, birthday parties and on tv. I am opening my Personal Training Manual to you and your family to share with you some of my best family exercises. Any type of movement is exercise, so you don’t have to do push-ups to strengthen your body you can play a game of crab soccer and have the same results you would achieve if you went to the gym, the big difference is crab soccer is much more fun and you get to enjoy playing with your family, isn't that the quality time we are all searching for? to purchase this book and any of Kimberly's other books shop in Fit American Families Store or go to www.Amazon.com and search for Kimberly Wechsler.
Louisville Basketball Player
I couldn't stand watching the instant replay of gruesome injury of Louisville basketball player, Kevin Ware. Images like that get stuck in my mind, I guess its a sense of fear and of course sorrow for this young athlete. But as much as I promote sports and always will as a necessary part of staying physically fit, it does come with some risks.
Here are the the TOP 10 Sport Injuries.
Number 10: Achilles Tendinitis
When the tendon at the back of the ankle — the Achilles tendon — is overused, inflammation and pain can occur, which is known as acute Achilles tendinitis. If this condition is left untreated, it can become chronic and the injury can worsen until it becomes impossible to run. Achilles tendinitis is most common among runners and athletes who participate in sports that involve running or jumping.
Prevention and treatment: Stretching and strengthening exercises for the calf muscles can help prevent injury to the Achilles tendon. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE), an anti-inflammatory medication, and strengthening your calf muscles are your best treatment options. Do not resume sports until the injury is completely healed or it may become a chronic condition.
Number 9: Concussion
A concussion is an injury to the brain that is usually the result of a blow to the head. Symptoms include disorientation, vision disturbance, headache, dizziness, amnesia, loss of balance, difficulty concentrating, and nausea. A concussion does not necessarily involve a loss of consciousness. Concussions are most common in contact sports, such as football, boxing, hockey, and soccer. However, they also occur in sports like skiing and gymnastics. While most people return to normal a few weeks or months after a concussion, multiple concussions can cause permanent damage.
Prevention and treatment: The best way to prevent concussion is to avoid contact sports, but that may not be a viable option for many people. Treating a concussion simply involves resting, although you can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) if you have a headache. Depending on the severity of your concussion, you will have to refrain from playing contact sports for a few hours to a few months. Returning to play too quickly could result in second impact syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.
Number 8: Groin Strain
A strained groin or adductor muscles — the fan-like muscles situated in the upper thigh that serve to pull the legs together — usually happens when you suddenly change directions while running, such as in soccer, hockey, basketball, racket sports, football, and volleyball. Symptoms include sharp pain, swelling and sometimes even bruising on the inside of the thigh.
Prevention and treatment: As with most sports injuries, the best way to prevent a groin pull is to stretch properly before exercising. Also, gradually increasing the intensity of the activity rather than jumping into the activity too quickly may help prevent injury, and strengthening the groin muscles can be helpful too. RICE, combined with anti-inflammatory medications, is the best treatment plan. Don't do anything too strenuous for a week or two after the injury, and when you do resume exercising, apply ice to the affected area after your workout until healed. When you are feeling better, start a stretching and strengthening program.
Number 7: Shin Splints
Shin splints refer to pain on the inner side of the shinbone caused by inflammation of the muscles that surround it. They often affect people who aren't used to exercising; they can be caused by increasing the intensity of your workout too fast, wearing worn-out shoes or by jumping or running on hard ground.
Prevention and treatment: Wearing good shoes, cross training, stretching, and not increasing workout intensity too quickly are the best preventive measures. As for treatment, ice, stretching and anti-inflammatory medications are your best bets.
Number 6: Lower Back Pain
Although lower-back pain is much less common among athletes than among sedentary and overweight people, it can affect runners, cyclists, golfers, tennis, and baseball players. While there are many types of lower-back pain — bulging discs, back spasms, and pain reaching down the leg from the lower back, known as sciatica — the most common reason for sports-related back pain is simply improper stretching. In the case of runners, having even the slightest discrepancy in leg length can cause back pain.
Prevention and treatment: Although some lower-back injuries cannot be prevented, warming up properly before exercising will greatly reduce your risk of injury. While bulging discs and sciatica require fast medical treatment, you can treat a simple muscle pull or back spasm yourself with RICE, anti-inflammatory medication and stretching. Runners with a difference in leg length can get orthotic lifts from a podiatrist to correct the problem.
Number 5: Pulled Muscle
Not warming up properly, fatigue, lack of flexibility, and weakness can cause all types of athletes to pull a muscle. The most commonly pulled muscles are hamstrings (especially in sports involving running, such as jogging, basketball and soccer) and calves (particularly in older tennis players). The hamstrings are the muscles behind your thighs; pulling them is painful and can even cause bruising. While these are the most common, you can pull many different muscles depending on the sport you are performing.
Prevention and treatment: The best way to prevent pulling a muscle is to stretch properly before and after exercising, and avoid working out when you are fatigued and weak. As with most injuries, RICE and anti-inflammatory drugs are helpful, as well as gentle stretches. When the injury has begun to heal, you can begin exercising again, but stop every so often during your workout to stretch until you are completely healed.
Number 4: Tennis or Golf Elbow
Elbow injuries account for 7% of all sports injuries. Tennis elbow consists of tendon degeneration in the elbow due to repeated backhand strokes in tennis. It causes pain on the outside of the elbow. Golf elbow, on the other hand, usually affects the inside of the elbow, although it can sometimes attack the outside. The pain experienced is a result of an inflammation of the epicondyle, the area on the inside of the elbow where the forearm-flexing muscles attach to the upper arm.
Prevention and treatment: The best way to prevent these ailments is to perform forearm-strengthening exercises, such as wrist curls, reverse wrist curls and squeezing a soft rubber ball. Also, improving your swing technique and wearing an elbow brace can be very helpful. Treatment can be as simple as RICE and anti-inflammatory medications, but in some cases physiotherapy and a prolonged break from the sport may be necessary.
Number 3: Ankle Sprain
Ankle sprains are very common among soccer, hockey, basketball, and volleyball players. They are almost inevitable in sports that involve jumping, running and turning quickly; these movements can lead to twisting the ankle and even possibly tearing a tendon or ligament. An X-ray can rule out the possibility of a fracture.
Prevention and treatment: Strengthening your ankles by doing exercises such as ankle lifts on stairs, as well as taping the ankle or wearing a lace-up brace can help, but these measures in no way guarantee that you won't be injured if you fall hard or make a false movement. Treat an ankle sprain with RICE and anti-inflammatory drugs, but don't rest it excessively for more than a day. To help your ankle heal faster, you should try to move your ankle gently to get the circulation going and reduce swelling.
Number 2: Shoulder Injury
About 20% of sports injuries involve the shoulder, including dislocations, sprains and strains. Shoulder injuries are most common in tennis, swimming, weightlifting, baseball, and volleyball — basically, any sport that involves a lot of overhead movement. These problems are generally due to overuse, which loosens the rotator cuff — the group of tendons and muscles that surround the shoulder. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, and weakness and slipping in the shoulder.
Prevention and treatment: To prevent shoulder injuries — which often occur when you haven't been using your shoulder muscles for a while, such as during your baseball league's off-season — be sure to strengthen your muscles through weight training before the season begins. If you do injure yourself, RICE and an anti-inflammatory medication are your best treatment options.
Number 1: Runner's Knee
Knee injuries comprise about 55% of all sports injuries and approximately one-fourth of all problems treated by orthopedic surgeons. Although torn ligaments and cartilage are the most common injuries, many knee problems are grouped into the category of "runner's knee," which includes a variety of aches and pains related to the kneecap. Runners are not the only victims of such injuries; they also strike cyclists, swimmers, people who practice step aerobics, and football, basketball, and volleyball players. Runner's knee occurs when overuse leads to irritation of the tendon below the kneecap or when the region underneath the kneecap is worn or afflicted with arthritis.
Prevention and treatment: Replace shoes and insoles regularly; choose a softer running surface such as an indoor track rather than hard pavement; strengthen your quadriceps through weight training; take more rest days between workouts; and cross train to prevent overuse. If you injure your knee, don't exercise for at least two days and take an anti-inflammatory medication. When you resume your workout, make sure to warm up properly and apply ice to your knee for about 20 minutes afterward.
Prevention is Key
Many sports injuries are due to an improper warm-up or stretching routine or because the level of intensity of the workout was increased too quickly. Therefore, the best way to avoid sports injuries that can keep you out of the game for weeks or months is to stretch adequately before and after your workout, and to pace yourself according to your level of skill and experience in the sport.
Here are the the TOP 10 Sport Injuries.
Number 10: Achilles Tendinitis
When the tendon at the back of the ankle — the Achilles tendon — is overused, inflammation and pain can occur, which is known as acute Achilles tendinitis. If this condition is left untreated, it can become chronic and the injury can worsen until it becomes impossible to run. Achilles tendinitis is most common among runners and athletes who participate in sports that involve running or jumping.
Prevention and treatment: Stretching and strengthening exercises for the calf muscles can help prevent injury to the Achilles tendon. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE), an anti-inflammatory medication, and strengthening your calf muscles are your best treatment options. Do not resume sports until the injury is completely healed or it may become a chronic condition.
Number 9: Concussion
A concussion is an injury to the brain that is usually the result of a blow to the head. Symptoms include disorientation, vision disturbance, headache, dizziness, amnesia, loss of balance, difficulty concentrating, and nausea. A concussion does not necessarily involve a loss of consciousness. Concussions are most common in contact sports, such as football, boxing, hockey, and soccer. However, they also occur in sports like skiing and gymnastics. While most people return to normal a few weeks or months after a concussion, multiple concussions can cause permanent damage.
Prevention and treatment: The best way to prevent concussion is to avoid contact sports, but that may not be a viable option for many people. Treating a concussion simply involves resting, although you can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) if you have a headache. Depending on the severity of your concussion, you will have to refrain from playing contact sports for a few hours to a few months. Returning to play too quickly could result in second impact syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.
Number 8: Groin Strain
A strained groin or adductor muscles — the fan-like muscles situated in the upper thigh that serve to pull the legs together — usually happens when you suddenly change directions while running, such as in soccer, hockey, basketball, racket sports, football, and volleyball. Symptoms include sharp pain, swelling and sometimes even bruising on the inside of the thigh.
Prevention and treatment: As with most sports injuries, the best way to prevent a groin pull is to stretch properly before exercising. Also, gradually increasing the intensity of the activity rather than jumping into the activity too quickly may help prevent injury, and strengthening the groin muscles can be helpful too. RICE, combined with anti-inflammatory medications, is the best treatment plan. Don't do anything too strenuous for a week or two after the injury, and when you do resume exercising, apply ice to the affected area after your workout until healed. When you are feeling better, start a stretching and strengthening program.
Number 7: Shin Splints
Shin splints refer to pain on the inner side of the shinbone caused by inflammation of the muscles that surround it. They often affect people who aren't used to exercising; they can be caused by increasing the intensity of your workout too fast, wearing worn-out shoes or by jumping or running on hard ground.
Prevention and treatment: Wearing good shoes, cross training, stretching, and not increasing workout intensity too quickly are the best preventive measures. As for treatment, ice, stretching and anti-inflammatory medications are your best bets.
Number 6: Lower Back Pain
Although lower-back pain is much less common among athletes than among sedentary and overweight people, it can affect runners, cyclists, golfers, tennis, and baseball players. While there are many types of lower-back pain — bulging discs, back spasms, and pain reaching down the leg from the lower back, known as sciatica — the most common reason for sports-related back pain is simply improper stretching. In the case of runners, having even the slightest discrepancy in leg length can cause back pain.
Prevention and treatment: Although some lower-back injuries cannot be prevented, warming up properly before exercising will greatly reduce your risk of injury. While bulging discs and sciatica require fast medical treatment, you can treat a simple muscle pull or back spasm yourself with RICE, anti-inflammatory medication and stretching. Runners with a difference in leg length can get orthotic lifts from a podiatrist to correct the problem.
Number 5: Pulled Muscle
Not warming up properly, fatigue, lack of flexibility, and weakness can cause all types of athletes to pull a muscle. The most commonly pulled muscles are hamstrings (especially in sports involving running, such as jogging, basketball and soccer) and calves (particularly in older tennis players). The hamstrings are the muscles behind your thighs; pulling them is painful and can even cause bruising. While these are the most common, you can pull many different muscles depending on the sport you are performing.
Prevention and treatment: The best way to prevent pulling a muscle is to stretch properly before and after exercising, and avoid working out when you are fatigued and weak. As with most injuries, RICE and anti-inflammatory drugs are helpful, as well as gentle stretches. When the injury has begun to heal, you can begin exercising again, but stop every so often during your workout to stretch until you are completely healed.
Number 4: Tennis or Golf Elbow
Elbow injuries account for 7% of all sports injuries. Tennis elbow consists of tendon degeneration in the elbow due to repeated backhand strokes in tennis. It causes pain on the outside of the elbow. Golf elbow, on the other hand, usually affects the inside of the elbow, although it can sometimes attack the outside. The pain experienced is a result of an inflammation of the epicondyle, the area on the inside of the elbow where the forearm-flexing muscles attach to the upper arm.
Prevention and treatment: The best way to prevent these ailments is to perform forearm-strengthening exercises, such as wrist curls, reverse wrist curls and squeezing a soft rubber ball. Also, improving your swing technique and wearing an elbow brace can be very helpful. Treatment can be as simple as RICE and anti-inflammatory medications, but in some cases physiotherapy and a prolonged break from the sport may be necessary.
Number 3: Ankle Sprain
Ankle sprains are very common among soccer, hockey, basketball, and volleyball players. They are almost inevitable in sports that involve jumping, running and turning quickly; these movements can lead to twisting the ankle and even possibly tearing a tendon or ligament. An X-ray can rule out the possibility of a fracture.
Prevention and treatment: Strengthening your ankles by doing exercises such as ankle lifts on stairs, as well as taping the ankle or wearing a lace-up brace can help, but these measures in no way guarantee that you won't be injured if you fall hard or make a false movement. Treat an ankle sprain with RICE and anti-inflammatory drugs, but don't rest it excessively for more than a day. To help your ankle heal faster, you should try to move your ankle gently to get the circulation going and reduce swelling.
Number 2: Shoulder Injury
About 20% of sports injuries involve the shoulder, including dislocations, sprains and strains. Shoulder injuries are most common in tennis, swimming, weightlifting, baseball, and volleyball — basically, any sport that involves a lot of overhead movement. These problems are generally due to overuse, which loosens the rotator cuff — the group of tendons and muscles that surround the shoulder. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, and weakness and slipping in the shoulder.
Prevention and treatment: To prevent shoulder injuries — which often occur when you haven't been using your shoulder muscles for a while, such as during your baseball league's off-season — be sure to strengthen your muscles through weight training before the season begins. If you do injure yourself, RICE and an anti-inflammatory medication are your best treatment options.
Number 1: Runner's Knee
Knee injuries comprise about 55% of all sports injuries and approximately one-fourth of all problems treated by orthopedic surgeons. Although torn ligaments and cartilage are the most common injuries, many knee problems are grouped into the category of "runner's knee," which includes a variety of aches and pains related to the kneecap. Runners are not the only victims of such injuries; they also strike cyclists, swimmers, people who practice step aerobics, and football, basketball, and volleyball players. Runner's knee occurs when overuse leads to irritation of the tendon below the kneecap or when the region underneath the kneecap is worn or afflicted with arthritis.
Prevention and treatment: Replace shoes and insoles regularly; choose a softer running surface such as an indoor track rather than hard pavement; strengthen your quadriceps through weight training; take more rest days between workouts; and cross train to prevent overuse. If you injure your knee, don't exercise for at least two days and take an anti-inflammatory medication. When you resume your workout, make sure to warm up properly and apply ice to your knee for about 20 minutes afterward.
Prevention is Key
Many sports injuries are due to an improper warm-up or stretching routine or because the level of intensity of the workout was increased too quickly. Therefore, the best way to avoid sports injuries that can keep you out of the game for weeks or months is to stretch adequately before and after your workout, and to pace yourself according to your level of skill and experience in the sport.
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