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Perspective: Stress & Fundamentals
February 4, 2015
In this week's edition of MHSAA Perspective, John Johnson talks about the stress that specialization places on a young athlete's body, and how ways to relieve that stress actually work in combination with learning the fundamentals of a sport.
Now in its 10th season, the radio commentary MHSAA Perspective – presented by the Michigan Army National Guard – airs on over 80 radio stations and audio outlets across the state, generally during the local broadcasts of high school games. The program runs for 30 weeks through the end of the winter sports season.
This week's Perspective: Stress & Fundamentals - Listen
Past editions
Jan. 26 - Fees Bench Players - Listen
Jan. 19 - What Would Ann Landers Say - Listen
Jan. 12 - Bowled Over - Listen
Jan. 5 - Three Jobs - Listen
Dec. 29 - What Matters Most - Listen
Dec. 22 - Wasn't That a Great Game? - Listen
Dec. 15 - What Did You Do About It - Listen
Dec. 8 - Fans At The Fore - Listen
Dec. 1 - Life is Bigger than Football - Listen
Nov. 24 - Kudos - Listen
Nov. 17 - Something to Play For - Listen
Nov. 10 - Paper Playoff - Listen
Nov. 3 - Dumb & Really Dumb - Listen
Oct. 27 - The Middle - Listen
Oct. 20 - Football Playoff Primer - Listen
Oct. 13 - Value ... and Values - Listen
Oct. 6 - It's a Game - Not a War - Listen
Sept. 29 - Record Holders - Listen
Sept. 15 - Remembering 9/14 - Listen
Sept. 8 - Exposing Specialization - Listen
Sept. 1 - Enhancing The Fan Experience - Listen
Aug. 25 - Safety Trumps Everything - Listen
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Put a Stop to Recurring Injuries
May 5, 2020
By Nick Parkinson, M.Ed., AT, ATC, TSAC-F
Henry Ford Health System
Recurring injuries happen — and they're especially common among single-sport athletes or people who focus on one type of exercise, like runners. The reason: You're working the same muscles repeatedly. The end result: Your joints, muscles and tissues get worn out.
Breaking Down Recurring Injuries
Overuse injuries are a big deal. Continuing to re-injure the same muscle groups can take you out of the game entirely and limit your ability to participate in other activities. Here's what you need to know about these all-to-common ailments:
What are Recurring Injuries?
Recurring injuries, also called repetitive and overuse injuries, are injuries that happen repeatedly in the same location. Think along the lines of tendinitis, stress fractures, shin splints and even carpal tunnel syndrome. Common sites include ankles, knees, hips and shoulders.
Who is at Risk for Repetitive Injuries?
Overuse injuries can happen to anyone, but they're more likely to occur among workers who do repetitive motions and single-sport athletes. The risk of these injuries also increases with age. They're more likely to occur if you don't recognize the impact aging can have on your muscles, joints and tissues and modify your activities accordingly.
Why Do Recurring Injuries Happen?
Recurring injuries happen when you overuse the same muscles without sufficient recovery. It's simple body mechanics: If you continue using compromised muscles, you're more likely to get reinjured. And once you get stuck in that same biomechanic loop, it's nearly impossible to recover without changing your routine and learning new techniques.
How Can You Prevent Recurring Injuries?
All sports have a risk of injury. The key is paying attention to your body and taking the appropriate steps to minimize your risk. Here's how:
• Use appropriate gear. Make sure you're wearing appropriate protective gear for the activity you're participating in and choose the right footwear.
• Alternate muscle groups. Instead of focusing on one type of exercise, switch things up. Incorporate low-impact activities, such as swimming, biking and water sports, and make sure you're not overloading any particular muscle group.
• Take rest days. It's important to give your muscles, joints and tissues time to recover. Two days of rest each week is best. If you play a sport, plan to have at least one off day per week and at least one month off per year.
• Strengthen muscles. Conditioning exercises can help strengthen the muscles you need to perform various activities.
• Use proper form. Overuse injuries are sometimes related to improper form during activity. Work with a professional to ensure you're using proper body mechanics and get back to your usual activities gradually.
Play it Safe
The best way to avoid recurrent injuries is to not get injured in the first place. Recover during the season — even if it means missing out on some play. It's better to show up to a game healthy but undertrained than to power through an injury and risk reinjury.
Talk to your doctor before starting a new activity or ramping up your current routine. If you're at risk of developing a recurrent injury, a professional can provide you with a workout regimen that can help prevent injury.
Most important: Don't let an overuse injury prevent you from being physically active. Instead, listen to your body, consult a professional and pace yourself. Treatment may involve avoiding a specific activity for a period of time, along with hot and cold therapy, massage and focused rehabilitation.
Nick Parkinson, M.Ed., AT, ATC, TSAC-F, is the Supervisor of Athletic Training with Henry Ford Sports Medicine and also leads Sports Performance training at the William Clay Ford Center for Athletic Medicine. Learn more about Nick.
Want to learn more? Henry Ford Health System sports medicine experts are treating the whole athlete, in a whole new way. From nutrition to neurology, and from injury prevention to treatment of sports-related conditions, they can give your athlete a unique game plan.
Visit henryford.com/sports or call (313) 972-4216 for an appointment within 24 business hours.