Overuse injuries are also known as cumulative trauma disorders, and can be described as damage caused to the tissue due to the repetitive demands levied on them over a time period. Overuse injuries usually occur because you put on too much strain on yourself, over-exert the tissues and hence, wear out your muscles. When you are planning on taking up a physical activity or pacing up the one you are currently practicing, be cautious of over-exerting yourself and subjecting yourself to the possibility of overuse injuries. An overuse injury can stop you from being active at all ultimately, and hence, it is better that it is avoided altogether.
Caused by repetitive trauma, an overuse injury is basically an injury related to the muscles or the joints. Some of the major causes of overuse injuries include:
Training errors are one of the most common causes of overuse injury. Training errors refer to physical activities that have been taken up to rigorously, too soon or for too long a length. Even practicing one particular physical activity all too often in a hardcore manner can be a cause of overuse injury. Such activities put a lot of stain on the muscles and the joints, ultimately wearing them out.
Another very common cause of overuse injuries is improper technique. An improper technique can put quite a heavy price on the muscles to pay. Using machinery the wrong way, playing a sport with the wrong posture, swinging a bat in an incorrect form, and the likes, are all examples of improper technique which can take a toll on the muscles and lead to overuse injuries.
Overuse injuries are easily preventable. Just by practicing caution here and there and following certain procedures, preventing injuries is very much possible. Here are some techniques you can employ which may help you in preventing injuries.
Consulting a doctor before taking on an activity that may require a lot of exertion is always a good idea, especially if there is some condition you are suffering from that you may be concerned about. If you are suffering from any sort of bothersome condition, your doctor will be better able to give you tips on how you can prevent overuse injuries.
One of the biggest mistakes with workouts that tend to lead to overuse injuries is that of cramming and saving all the exercise for the weekend! Instead of doing that and inviting overuse injury to come hit you, it is advisable to spread out your workout routine over the whole week, with an hour or an hour and a half of some sort of physical activity every other day. In preventing injuries, it is also very important to remember to warm up and cool down before and after workouts. Furthermore, age is another important factor here when it comes to overuse injury. When you are older there are certain activities that you just can’t perform when you were younger. It is better to refrain from those activities as a preventative measure towards overuse injuries.
It is always a wise option to increase the intensity of your physical activity in a gradual fashion, as that is always more effective in terms of the workout routine’s efficacy itself and in preventing injuries. Make sure that you do not strain your muscles too hard, and increase your workout level by no more than 10% each week till you have reached your desired goal.
Another way of preventing injuries and keeping overuse injuries far at bay is by instead of practicing one exercise, you could mix it up! Also known as cross-training, indulging in two or more exercises that command low-intensity routines, such as walking, jogging, cycling or swimming, can help you avoid overuse injuries. Mixing up little pieces of strength training, core stability, balance training and stretching in your workout routine has proven to be of great help in preventing injuries.
